Honu and Blue's Sealife Clues product reviews

Guessing games are great fun for children as long as finding the right answer is not too complicated. This book offers a glimpse of different sea creatures on the odd pages, so the child can guess what each might be before the page is turned. Then the entire creature is displayed together with its English and Maori names. This is a really fun way to learn to identify different marine life as it focuses on one small part of each creature. It is great for testing observational skills.

The text is rhymed, with additional comments added on the even pages with the complete named picture. These comments offer additional facts about the creature, some of which are most informative. But they are written in accessible language so that young readers will understand them. Miss Six enjoyed the guessing game, frequently interrupting to declare "This is SO fun, Mum!" She (and her mother) even learned about a new bird, sadly endangered - the Tara Iti (fairy tern). Meanwhile Mr Three loved the illustrations and was able to join in with the rhymes after several readings.

The humour in the book was accessible to Miss Six. Her firm favourite was the sofa seal. (I remember being on a trawler once myself in Milford Sound and watching the fur seals throw themselves on the deck to bask in the sun,) There is also a delightful illustration of a penguin sunbathing on the beach, and the idea of renaming paddle crabs to "don't paddle crabs" in case they nip selected feet.

At the end of the book is a list of tips on how to keep the environment clean and safe for the different creatures that live there. The tips are written in such a way that even very young children can understand them, and humour is apparent here too - cat scat is a hilarious way of describing something that should not be flushed! I did think the smaller font might be challenging for a child just learning to read, however. This font is also used on the even pages for the comments section.

The overall message of the book is one of conservation. Children go to the beach without a thought of what exists beyond the sand and waves; on their next trip Miss Six and Mr Three may be more aware of what is going on around them, and will look consciously for signs of marine life. It is an incentive for them to refrain from littering and respect the environment which is home to so many diverse residents.