The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World’s Coral Reefs
When Ken Nedimyer was little, Nasa was just sending its first rockets, and then men, in to space. But while the whole world looked to the unknown realms of space for inspiration, Ken was far more interested in the unknown here on Earth – in the ocean. As a young man he collected hundreds of fish and sea specimens in his home-town near the Florida Keys, and as an adult he went on to form the Coral Restoration Foundation, an organisation which works to rebuild coral reef colonies all over the world.
Ken’s pioneering experiments in propagating coral and transplanting specimens to new locations is the focus of this colourful non-fiction picturebook, which endeavours to instil in readers some of the love of the ocean, and coral reefs in particular, that Nedimyer feels. The book is illustrated in a pleasing combination of warm oranges and reds, mixed with cool blues and greens, creating a vibrancy that captures the wonder of underwater flora and fauna.
The text is mostly a narrative of how Nedimyer came to understand how coral reefs can grow and be rejuvenated, and how he began his organisation, but there is still plenty of information for budding marine biologists about how coral reefs work, and the final pages give more specific information on helpful organisations, further reading and even a coral reef vocabulary. Great for any children interested in ocean life, conservation and science.
