Beneath the Waves: Exploring the Hidden World of the Kelp Forest - Softcover

--SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, Starred Review, January 1993
Focusing on one day in a kelp forest, this well-organized text describes a variety of animals living in or near the habitat and examines their relationships to one another and to their environment. Camouflage, feeding, reproductive strategies, and defenses are discussed in a straightforward manner without sensationalism. The full-color photographs are of unusually high quality and detail and are artistically arranged, skillfully complementing the text. Wu's obvious love for and sensitivity to his subject make this superior to similar titles such as Taylor's Coral Reef (Dorling Kindersley, 1992) or Bramwell's Oceans(Watts, 1984; o.p.).

--BOOKLIST, July 1992
Exquisite full-color photographs and text packed with information introduce middle grade readers to the underwater world of the kelp forest. Located along the coasts of North and South America, southern Africa, and Australia, these forests support a vast array of sea creatures, induding sea otters, jellyfish, snails, and octopuses. Wu, a renowned underwater photographer, shares his enthusiasm and extensive knowledge about the forests, noting threats to their existence and describing ecologically sound harvesting practices. Boxed inserts present additional infommation about scuba diving and specific animals. Wu's skillful balance of text and illustration results in a cohesive work, as infommative as it is visually appealing, which will be an excellent resource for the study of sea life and undersea and related careers. A comprehensive glossary is appended.