Fourteen Ways of Looking at Jellyfish

Boston Weatherford and Ibatoulline offer 14 different angles on jellyfish in this reverent, notebook-like assemblage of facts and appreciations. The creative team’s “ways of looking” range from literally peering at jellyfish in a creek to contemplating them through the eyes of a biologist who “saw his late wife’s reflection in a jellyfish.” Spreads also cite the subjects’ “unusual common names” (e.g., “fried egg”), scientific classification, and more. While one section touches on the jellyfish life cycle, others address the creatures’ more dangerous qualities (“Jellies kill more humans than sharks do”). Utilizing a range of materials, illustrations present varied techniques and styles, from a fantastical spread emulating Japanese woodblock prints to a pop art–like comic to scientific sketches. The result is a wonder-inspiring tribute to these aquatic animals and their “otherworldly light.” A bibliography and further resources conclude. Ages 6–8. (May)