cover image Life-Size Aquarium

Life-Size Aquarium

Teruyuki Komiya, trans. from the Japanese by Junko Miyakoshi, photos by Toshimitsu Matsuhashi, Seven Footer Kids (PGW, dist.), $18.95 (48p) ISBN 978-1-934734-59-9

On the heels of 2009's Life-Size Zoo comes this aquatic companion. As with its large-format predecessor, the crisp, life-size photographs of animals are show-stopping: a turquoise humphead wrasse requires four pages (and still doesn't entirely fit), and unusual species like the leafy sea dragon (akin to a seahorse) and Japanese spider crab join more familiar orcas, dolphins, jellyfish, and penguins. Throughout, cartoon sidebars (both of stick-figure "visitors" to the aquarium and of the various creatures) provide fascinating bits of information and diversions. Also available: More Life-Size Zoo. Ages 3–up. (Sept.)