Honolulu Star-Advertiser © Susan Scott
August 15, 2003
During my 16 years of writing about marine biology, I’ve discovered that children, almost universally, are fascinated with the subject.
Whether I’m speaking to a class or taking my nieces and nephews snorkeling, kids bowl me over with questions, comments and stories they want to share.
I’ve always wondered what it is about marine animals that kids love so much, and recently a generous reader helped me gain some insight.
He wrote: “I have about 20 locally published children’s books with ocean-related themes I’d be happy to pass on to you.
The books I recall reading as a child were bland stories about Dick, Jane and Spot the dog, but these books … are a joy to read.”
His only purpose in the donation, he told me, was to let me know about the wonderful, local children’s books available. Then I could pass the books to someone else.
I accepted this thoughtful offer, stacked the books on my desk and settled down to read. But who am I to review kids’ books? I needed a kid.
My 8-year-old neighbor, Kalli, liked the idea of being a reviewer and volunteered to help, choosing one book each about a turtle, a whale and a shark. Later I talked with Kalli and her mom about the stories.
Susan: “Let’s start with this book called ‘Turtle Songs, A Tale for Mothers and Daughters.’ Tell me what it’s about.”
Kalli: “It’s about a princess and her little girl who get taken away by a bad man.”
S: “Why did he take them away?”
K: “I don’t know.”
S: “Where did he take them?”
K: “In a boat.”
S: “That sounds kind of scary. Did this story scare you?”
K: “No.”
S: “Why not?”
K: “Because all stories end good.”
Mother: “It scared me.”
S: “So what happens then?”
K: “The mother and little girl jump out of the boat and turn into turtles. I saw some turtles once. We fed them mushrooms.”
S: “Really? Mushrooms you picked from the ground?”
K: “No, we fed them good ones, not wild ones.” (Mom shrugs.)
S: “This turtle book seems like a fable to me. Do you know what a fable is?”
K: “Yes. The story is saying that turtles are princesses.”
S: “I like that interpretation: Turtles are royalty.”
K: “Only girl turtles, though. Not boy turtles.”
Kalli then pointed out that in the pictures, she could tell the little girl turtle from the mother turtle by a red speck in its eye. I squinted at the minuscule dot that appeared on one page only.
Kalli wasn’t as interested in the shark or whale stories. “Which did you like best,” I asked, “the shark book or the whale book?”
“The shark book,” she said, suddenly enthusiastic. She picked it up and ran her hand over the black endpapers, as if feeling the color. “I like all this black.”
I enjoyed my interview with Kalli and her mom. I still don’t know why kids like marine animals so much, but after hearing about mushrooms, red eye dots and black endpapers, I don’t think we adults ever will.