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by Gabrielle Raymond McGee (Author), Anastasiya Halionka (Illustrator)
It's an exciting day at school when legendary oceanographer and explorer Dr. Sylvia Earle visits a classroom to share the amazing interconnectedness of the ocean, its community of sea life, our planet, and its people...that means us! Did you know that the ocean has superheroes? All of the 25 million different types of creatures that make up our oceans-which cover more than 71% of our planet-are superheroes in their own way and are vitally important to the balance of our ecosystem.
Whether it's the tiny sea creatures called phytoplankton who provide nutrition for even the largest of the earth's animals, whales, or the marine plants that generate half of the oxygen that we all breathe, or oysters who help clean and filter pollution in the water, every living thing is connected and has its own important role in our world, Dr. Earle explains to the class. But the ocean superheroes need help protecting it and Dr. Earle calls those who do, Wave Makers.
Inspired by her message, one little girl's trip to the beach has her think differently about the ocean, the superheroes that live in it, and her own place in the chain linking us all together. She encourages her friends to be Wave Makers, explaining that even though they are kids, they can do small but important things to make an impact with the ocean and its creatures, like not disrupting their habitat, keeping beaches clean of trash, and giving animals the space that they need to flourish. And together, we can all make a wave of difference in protecting our ocean, a "mysterious frontier much like the uncharted realms of outer space, where countless wonders and secrets await discovery," says Dr. Earle.
The back of the book includes ways to make an impact, a glossary of terms used throughout the book, and resources to learn more about the ocean and how to help in its protection.
