cover image Deep Deep Sea

Deep Deep Sea

Frann Preston-Gannon. Pavilion (IPG/Trafalgar Sq., dist.), $7.99 (14p) ISBN 978-1-84365-268-7

Preston-Gannon uses sea creatures to help readers get a jump on numbers in this quick dive into the briny deep. “One blue whale” gets things started, gliding underneath a comparatively small sailboat. Green turtles, gray dolphins, yellow seahorses, and red starfish follow (offering children a reminder of basic colors, as well), and the final spread offers a real colors-and-counting challenge as “one hundred colourful fish” fill appear against a mottled blue-green backdrop. A muted palette and the subtle Mona Lisa–like smiles of Preston-Gannon’s sea creatures give the book a serene calmness, creating a kind of aquatic Peaceable Kingdom. Up to age 3. (July)