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Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharp Revealed the Ocean's Biggest Secret
Meet Marie Tharp (1920-2006), the first person to map the Earth's underwater mountain ridge, in this inspiring picture book biography from the author of Shark Lady.
From a young age, Marie Tharp loved watching the world. She loved solving problems. And she loved pushing the limits of what girls and women were expected to do and be. In the mid-twentieth century, women were not welcome in the sciences, but Marie was tenacious. She got a job in a laboratory at Cambridge University, New York. But then she faced another barrior: women were not allowed on the research ships (they were considered bad luck on boats). So instead, Marie stayed back and dove deep into the data her colleagues recorded. She mapped point after point and slowly revealed a deep rift valley in the ocean floor. At first the scientific community refused to believe her, but her evidence was irrefutable. She proved to the world that her research was correct. The mid-ocean ridge that Marie discovered is the single largest geographic feature on the planet, and she mapped it all from her small, cramped office.
From a young age, Marie Tharp loved watching the world. She loved solving problems. And she loved pushing the limits of what girls and women were expected to do and be. In the mid-twentieth century, women were not welcome in the sciences, but Marie was tenacious. She got a job in a laboratory at Cambridge University, New York. But then she faced another barrior: women were not allowed on the research ships (they were considered bad luck on boats). So instead, Marie stayed back and dove deep into the data her colleagues recorded. She mapped point after point and slowly revealed a deep rift valley in the ocean floor. At first the scientific community refused to believe her, but her evidence was irrefutable. She proved to the world that her research was correct. The mid-ocean ridge that Marie discovered is the single largest geographic feature on the planet, and she mapped it all from her small, cramped office.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published June 30, 2020
About the author
Jess Keating
26 books254 followersFind her on Twitter @Jess_Keating and on Instagram @JessKeatingBooks!
Jess Keating is an award-winning author, cartoonist, and zoologist, whose work has been featured in the New York Times, CBC, Buzzfeed, Parents Magazine, and more.
She is the creator of over a dozen fiction and nonfiction books, including Eat Your Rocks, Croc!, Shark Lady, Pink is for Blobfish, the Elements of Genius middle grade series, and the graphic novel series, Bunbun & Bonbon.
Sign up for weekly tips and tricks on mindful creative living at www.jesskeatingbooks.com/10secrets
Jess Keating is an award-winning author, cartoonist, and zoologist, whose work has been featured in the New York Times, CBC, Buzzfeed, Parents Magazine, and more.
She is the creator of over a dozen fiction and nonfiction books, including Eat Your Rocks, Croc!, Shark Lady, Pink is for Blobfish, the Elements of Genius middle grade series, and the graphic novel series, Bunbun & Bonbon.
Sign up for weekly tips and tricks on mindful creative living at www.jesskeatingbooks.com/10secrets
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
August 2, 2021
Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharp Revealed the Ocean's Biggest Secret
Marie Tharp is a figure deserving of study and I was excited see another picture book biography about her; however, despite being beautifully written and illustrated, I am afraid I cannot recommend it because it has what is, to my mind, a very significant flaw. Namely, the negative portrayal of male scientists and failure to show the contributions of her male colleagues. This, despite the fact that the Author's Note at the end specifically mentions Tharp's "colleague and friend Bruce Heezen." Yet, reading the story proper, children will come away with only the image of grumpy, angry men frowning at Maria and not taking her ideas seriously (note: they also didn't take male scientist Alfred Wegener seriously when, in 1912, he proposed that continents were once a giant land mass that drifted apart). It at least does show that Marie's father took her to the woods and looked at collected specimens with her when she was a girl, but it's not clear whether he was actually promoting her academic interests or simply humoring his little girl. The emphasis is that scientific jobs were only for men and then all the adult men she encounters in her career are shown in a negative light.
I am all for shining the spotlight on neglected heroes of history, many of whom are women. But, the way I see it, it does nothing to diminish the incredible strength and perseverance of women in these male-dominated fields to show that they occasionally had someone male who believed in them or helped them or hired them--despite the fact that most males looked down on them or attempted to thwart them. After all, someone had to hire Marie, and provide her with the data she used! Also, omitting the fact in the story proper that Marie Tharp had a colleague, whom she also considered a friend, that helped her with her work for many years is unacceptable. We would not accept such an omission were the colleague female. In the book, we hear only this, "Marie showed the map to her colleague. He yelled. He argued. It must be a mistake, nothing but foolish silly girl-talk." Is this supposed to be Heezen? Also, plenty of scientists argue with one another all the time. I am finding it hard to believe her ideas were challenged only because of her gender, especially given the trouble Wegener had years earlier (in the Author's Note it mentions that Wegener was "attacked viciously and mocked for this theory"). To demote their working relationship to this portrayal seems simplistic and insulting. I don't wish to pretend that women never faced (or continue to face) challenges in the workplace due to their gender, and certainly these challenges need to be shown in picture book biographies, but this particular offering just left a sour taste in my mouth.
Further issues with the book -- it doesn't provide enough context for the vast span of time Tharp spent working on her maps (and the changes in the workplace that came along with the progressing decades, increasingly more women entering the field). In one page, we go from a grumpy looking Jaques Cousteau trying to prove her wrong because "despite her evidence, nobody believed her" then turn the page to see a mass of reporters clamoring to take her picture with little else than the explanation that she "had revealed the ocean's biggest secret" and "her map became famous." What exactly happened that made scientists believe her?
I really wanted to love this book. I loved Keating's Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist, but this one really missed the mark for me. I would recommend instead Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea: Marie Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor which, while also imperfect, at least provides a more fair picture of her working relationship with Heezen in the story proper and explains the timeline better (albeit in the afterward).
ETA: I went looking for more information about Tharp and her colleague(s) as this book left me frustrated and confused:
Here are my findings:
"For the first two decades of their collaboration, Heezen collected data aboard research ships, while Tharp drew maps from that data, since women were still excluded from working aboard ships at that time. Working with pens, ink and rulers, Tharp drew the underwater details, longitude degree by latitude degree, described by thousands of sonar readings taken by researchers, and independently used data collection from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s R/V Atlantis. She painstakingly aligned sounding profiles from Atlantis and other vessels, creating a total of approximately six profiles stretching west-to-east across the North Atlantic. Her work represented the first systematic attempt to map the entire ocean floor. She was eventually able to join a data collection research expedition in 1968."
--https://web.whoi.edu/womens-comm/mari...
Marie Tharp herself does actually quote Bruce as saying her idea was just "girl talk" so apparently it WAS was something he said (ugh!) but that still doesn't make it right for the picture book to paint him only as an ogre and fail to give him credit for his contributions:
"When I showed what I found to Bruce, he groaned and said, 'It cannot be.It looks too much like continental drift.' At the time, believing in the theory of continental drift was almost a form of scientific heresy. Almost everyone in the United States thought continental drift was impossible. Bruce initially dismissed my interpretation of the profiles as 'girl talk.'"
I have found conflicting information elsewhere. One source said Heezen presented their findings his own, and that Tharp was treated poorly by Columbia University, but another said that she was listed as co-author with Heezen on a book and various papers.
I have found Tharp's own words here:
"Doc and Bruce announced our findings in 1956 at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in Toronto.
The reaction in the scientific community ranged from amazement to skepticism to scorn.In 1957 Bruce gave a talk on the mid-ocean rift system at Princeton, bringing along a globe we made that showed how the rift system extended all around the world. After the talk, the eminent Princeton geologist Harry Hess, who later developed the theory of seafloor spreading, stood up and said, 'Young man, you have shaken the foundations of geology!' The discovery of the mid-ocean ridge system was a revelation, but nobody could explain how it got there."
-- https://www.whoi.edu/news-insights/co...
She concludes the above chapter by saying, "I worked in the background for most of my career as a scientist, but I have absolutely no resentments. I thought I was lucky to have a job that was so interesting. Establishing the rift valley and the mid-ocean ridge that went all the way around the world for 40,000 miles—that was something important. You could only do that once. You can’t find anything bigger than that, at least on this planet."
So, I guess, in conclusion, while I have no doubt Tharp was not always treated fairly due to her gender, I also can't help but wonder what Tharp would think of a picture book that maligned or ignored the male colleagues who contributed to the projects she worked on over so many decades as she claims herself that she held no resentment toward them. Yes, it was wrong that female scientists often weren't given due credit in male-dominated fields and I am glad books are now shining light on this, but it also isn't correct for this book to lead young readers to believe that Tharp's work came to be without some contributions from male colleagues.
Marie Tharp is a figure deserving of study and I was excited see another picture book biography about her; however, despite being beautifully written and illustrated, I am afraid I cannot recommend it because it has what is, to my mind, a very significant flaw. Namely, the negative portrayal of male scientists and failure to show the contributions of her male colleagues. This, despite the fact that the Author's Note at the end specifically mentions Tharp's "colleague and friend Bruce Heezen." Yet, reading the story proper, children will come away with only the image of grumpy, angry men frowning at Maria and not taking her ideas seriously (note: they also didn't take male scientist Alfred Wegener seriously when, in 1912, he proposed that continents were once a giant land mass that drifted apart). It at least does show that Marie's father took her to the woods and looked at collected specimens with her when she was a girl, but it's not clear whether he was actually promoting her academic interests or simply humoring his little girl. The emphasis is that scientific jobs were only for men and then all the adult men she encounters in her career are shown in a negative light.
I am all for shining the spotlight on neglected heroes of history, many of whom are women. But, the way I see it, it does nothing to diminish the incredible strength and perseverance of women in these male-dominated fields to show that they occasionally had someone male who believed in them or helped them or hired them--despite the fact that most males looked down on them or attempted to thwart them. After all, someone had to hire Marie, and provide her with the data she used! Also, omitting the fact in the story proper that Marie Tharp had a colleague, whom she also considered a friend, that helped her with her work for many years is unacceptable. We would not accept such an omission were the colleague female. In the book, we hear only this, "Marie showed the map to her colleague. He yelled. He argued. It must be a mistake, nothing but foolish silly girl-talk." Is this supposed to be Heezen? Also, plenty of scientists argue with one another all the time. I am finding it hard to believe her ideas were challenged only because of her gender, especially given the trouble Wegener had years earlier (in the Author's Note it mentions that Wegener was "attacked viciously and mocked for this theory"). To demote their working relationship to this portrayal seems simplistic and insulting. I don't wish to pretend that women never faced (or continue to face) challenges in the workplace due to their gender, and certainly these challenges need to be shown in picture book biographies, but this particular offering just left a sour taste in my mouth.
Further issues with the book -- it doesn't provide enough context for the vast span of time Tharp spent working on her maps (and the changes in the workplace that came along with the progressing decades, increasingly more women entering the field). In one page, we go from a grumpy looking Jaques Cousteau trying to prove her wrong because "despite her evidence, nobody believed her" then turn the page to see a mass of reporters clamoring to take her picture with little else than the explanation that she "had revealed the ocean's biggest secret" and "her map became famous." What exactly happened that made scientists believe her?
I really wanted to love this book. I loved Keating's Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist, but this one really missed the mark for me. I would recommend instead Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea: Marie Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor which, while also imperfect, at least provides a more fair picture of her working relationship with Heezen in the story proper and explains the timeline better (albeit in the afterward).
ETA: I went looking for more information about Tharp and her colleague(s) as this book left me frustrated and confused:
Here are my findings:
"For the first two decades of their collaboration, Heezen collected data aboard research ships, while Tharp drew maps from that data, since women were still excluded from working aboard ships at that time. Working with pens, ink and rulers, Tharp drew the underwater details, longitude degree by latitude degree, described by thousands of sonar readings taken by researchers, and independently used data collection from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s R/V Atlantis. She painstakingly aligned sounding profiles from Atlantis and other vessels, creating a total of approximately six profiles stretching west-to-east across the North Atlantic. Her work represented the first systematic attempt to map the entire ocean floor. She was eventually able to join a data collection research expedition in 1968."
--https://web.whoi.edu/womens-comm/mari...
Marie Tharp herself does actually quote Bruce as saying her idea was just "girl talk" so apparently it WAS was something he said (ugh!) but that still doesn't make it right for the picture book to paint him only as an ogre and fail to give him credit for his contributions:
"When I showed what I found to Bruce, he groaned and said, 'It cannot be.It looks too much like continental drift.' At the time, believing in the theory of continental drift was almost a form of scientific heresy. Almost everyone in the United States thought continental drift was impossible. Bruce initially dismissed my interpretation of the profiles as 'girl talk.'"
I have found conflicting information elsewhere. One source said Heezen presented their findings his own, and that Tharp was treated poorly by Columbia University, but another said that she was listed as co-author with Heezen on a book and various papers.
I have found Tharp's own words here:
"Doc and Bruce announced our findings in 1956 at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in Toronto.
The reaction in the scientific community ranged from amazement to skepticism to scorn.In 1957 Bruce gave a talk on the mid-ocean rift system at Princeton, bringing along a globe we made that showed how the rift system extended all around the world. After the talk, the eminent Princeton geologist Harry Hess, who later developed the theory of seafloor spreading, stood up and said, 'Young man, you have shaken the foundations of geology!' The discovery of the mid-ocean ridge system was a revelation, but nobody could explain how it got there."
-- https://www.whoi.edu/news-insights/co...
She concludes the above chapter by saying, "I worked in the background for most of my career as a scientist, but I have absolutely no resentments. I thought I was lucky to have a job that was so interesting. Establishing the rift valley and the mid-ocean ridge that went all the way around the world for 40,000 miles—that was something important. You could only do that once. You can’t find anything bigger than that, at least on this planet."
So, I guess, in conclusion, while I have no doubt Tharp was not always treated fairly due to her gender, I also can't help but wonder what Tharp would think of a picture book that maligned or ignored the male colleagues who contributed to the projects she worked on over so many decades as she claims herself that she held no resentment toward them. Yes, it was wrong that female scientists often weren't given due credit in male-dominated fields and I am glad books are now shining light on this, but it also isn't correct for this book to lead young readers to believe that Tharp's work came to be without some contributions from male colleagues.
July 20, 2020
Great book, important story! I didn’t know about Tharp, her discovery, or the reaction to it. Jess Keating tells her story well, and I appreciated her author’s note with more details.
I loved the illustrations - perfect story accompaniment with the blue and green ocean tones and pops of yellow-gold. Great palette. I’d love for illustrator Katie Hickey to come decorate my house. And will keep an eye out for more of her work.
--
I read an advance review digital copy of this book via the publisher and NetGalley and this review is voluntary.
I loved the illustrations - perfect story accompaniment with the blue and green ocean tones and pops of yellow-gold. Great palette. I’d love for illustrator Katie Hickey to come decorate my house. And will keep an eye out for more of her work.
--
I read an advance review digital copy of this book via the publisher and NetGalley and this review is voluntary.
April 24, 2020
As a child, I loved picture books and I loved learning. My school library rarely ever had non-fiction picture books, so I was a very sad kid. I mostly read fictional stories. As an adult, I absolutely LOVE coming across non-fiction, children's picture books. Nothing excites my inner child more!
Ocean Speaks by Jess Keating introduces kids to Marie Tharp, an oceanographic cartographer. This exciting lady mapped the Atlantic Ocean's floor! As a child, she was quite the adventurer and was very curious. As a very smart lady, she studied science and math and became quite the scientist! As she worked hard, she noticed something other people didn't... And just like that, a living legend was born!
This book is SO COOL. I love books like this - strong women, smart women and cool scientific discoveries! I am SO impressed. Bold, italicize and underline that!
At the end of this book, there is also more information about Marie and her life, as well as some interesting educational points about geology, oceans and being a scientist. AND REFERENCES! Ah, I'm a girl who loves references.
The illustrations are absolutely GORGEOUS and whisked me away in this wonderful story. Katie Hickey's art is just marvelous! I'm totally impressed and blown away. It's the type of whimsy I want in a children's picture book, fiction or non-fiction.
Five out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Tundra Books and Penguin Random House Canada for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
Ocean Speaks by Jess Keating introduces kids to Marie Tharp, an oceanographic cartographer. This exciting lady mapped the Atlantic Ocean's floor! As a child, she was quite the adventurer and was very curious. As a very smart lady, she studied science and math and became quite the scientist! As she worked hard, she noticed something other people didn't... And just like that, a living legend was born!
This book is SO COOL. I love books like this - strong women, smart women and cool scientific discoveries! I am SO impressed. Bold, italicize and underline that!
At the end of this book, there is also more information about Marie and her life, as well as some interesting educational points about geology, oceans and being a scientist. AND REFERENCES! Ah, I'm a girl who loves references.
The illustrations are absolutely GORGEOUS and whisked me away in this wonderful story. Katie Hickey's art is just marvelous! I'm totally impressed and blown away. It's the type of whimsy I want in a children's picture book, fiction or non-fiction.
Five out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Tundra Books and Penguin Random House Canada for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
March 20, 2020
Absolutely wonderful in every way.
This children's book has absolutely beautiful art and an inspiring true story, and it teaches kids about the ocean. It tells the story of Marie Tharp and how she taught us about the ocean despite the sexism that didn't allow her to follow her dreams as a scientist the way she wanted to (by going to sea with her male colleagues). More sexism kept her in the office plotting the maps that they sent back and more sexism led to those colleagues saying she must be wrong when she revealed what she'd discovered. Yet more sexism led to Jacques Cousteau himself leading an expedition just to prove her wrong (which proved her right). It also amazingly stays positive and uplifting despite the reality of how its heroine was treated.
This is just a fantastic book as a biography, as a STEM book, as an intro to sonar and oceanography, and in every way. The art is worthy of framing. Did I mention I love this book? Highly recommended.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
This children's book has absolutely beautiful art and an inspiring true story, and it teaches kids about the ocean. It tells the story of Marie Tharp and how she taught us about the ocean despite the sexism that didn't allow her to follow her dreams as a scientist the way she wanted to (by going to sea with her male colleagues). More sexism kept her in the office plotting the maps that they sent back and more sexism led to those colleagues saying she must be wrong when she revealed what she'd discovered. Yet more sexism led to Jacques Cousteau himself leading an expedition just to prove her wrong (which proved her right). It also amazingly stays positive and uplifting despite the reality of how its heroine was treated.
This is just a fantastic book as a biography, as a STEM book, as an intro to sonar and oceanography, and in every way. The art is worthy of framing. Did I mention I love this book? Highly recommended.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
August 20, 2020
Gorgeous, watery greens and blues and sunny yellow perfectly capture the magic and mystery of the oceans in his beautifully illustrated biography. And the fascination Marie Tharp, geologist, held for oceans, adventure, and science. All of which she brought together when she created her huge map of the oceans, and showed there was a huge rift in the Atlantic. Which eventually led to the discovery of tectonic plates and continental movement.
Though aimed at kids, this is a good introduction to science and how someone working in the background can still make huge contributions to a field, and, unfortunately, a description of the sadder side of working in STEM for women.
Though aimed at kids, this is a good introduction to science and how someone working in the background can still make huge contributions to a field, and, unfortunately, a description of the sadder side of working in STEM for women.
April 6, 2021
Meg says:
Ocean Speaks is a juvenile biography about geologist and ocean cartographer Marie Tharp. The story takes place in America in the mid-1900s. Marie’s father was as geologist. She loved to tag along with him when he was out in nature studying the earth. She was especially enthralled with the ocean. She felt that there must be more to discover in the vastness of the ocean, and she wondered what was hiding in the blue-grey depths. She was curious and enjoyed learning new things. However, during this era, careers in science and exploration were limited for women.
This changed with the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the resulting Second World War. Many men went off to war, and women were now encouraged to study math and the sciences to prepare them to fill the newly available jobs.
Marie was excited to be able to study math, physics, chemistry and geography. Her hard work paid off. She was fortunate to get a job as an ocean cartographer in a laboratory in New York. She wanted to go out on ships and collect depth measurements of the Atlantic Ocean floor like her male colleagues. But in those days, sailors still had the suspicion that the presence of a women aboard ship was bad luck.
So Marie stayed behind and worked with the data that was sent back to her. She painstakingly plotted each point on paper, and a map of the ocean floor began to appear. She discovered some surprising and important features. Even though her only tools were paper and pencil, she was still an explorer!
Her colleagues doubted her findings, and told her to re-do her work. A famous ocean explorer also questioned her work. He used underwater photography to confirm her evidence. Her map had become famous. It revealed rift valleys, and the largest mountain range on the planet! Her work was used to better understand the movement of tectonic plates, and other changes on our planet.
The book is beautifully and intricately illustrated. The tone of the book is very positive and optimistic. I am glad I read the book because it reminded me of what can be accomplished with determination, endurance and enthusiasm.
Ocean Speaks is a juvenile biography about geologist and ocean cartographer Marie Tharp. The story takes place in America in the mid-1900s. Marie’s father was as geologist. She loved to tag along with him when he was out in nature studying the earth. She was especially enthralled with the ocean. She felt that there must be more to discover in the vastness of the ocean, and she wondered what was hiding in the blue-grey depths. She was curious and enjoyed learning new things. However, during this era, careers in science and exploration were limited for women.
This changed with the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the resulting Second World War. Many men went off to war, and women were now encouraged to study math and the sciences to prepare them to fill the newly available jobs.
Marie was excited to be able to study math, physics, chemistry and geography. Her hard work paid off. She was fortunate to get a job as an ocean cartographer in a laboratory in New York. She wanted to go out on ships and collect depth measurements of the Atlantic Ocean floor like her male colleagues. But in those days, sailors still had the suspicion that the presence of a women aboard ship was bad luck.
So Marie stayed behind and worked with the data that was sent back to her. She painstakingly plotted each point on paper, and a map of the ocean floor began to appear. She discovered some surprising and important features. Even though her only tools were paper and pencil, she was still an explorer!
Her colleagues doubted her findings, and told her to re-do her work. A famous ocean explorer also questioned her work. He used underwater photography to confirm her evidence. Her map had become famous. It revealed rift valleys, and the largest mountain range on the planet! Her work was used to better understand the movement of tectonic plates, and other changes on our planet.
The book is beautifully and intricately illustrated. The tone of the book is very positive and optimistic. I am glad I read the book because it reminded me of what can be accomplished with determination, endurance and enthusiasm.
April 12, 2020
This was an interesting book that wasn't quite what I expected and that was quite refreshing. Furthermore this refreshing aspect continued on throughout the book while providing quite an insightful read.
"Ocean Speaks" explores in brief the life of Maria Tharp and how the challenges in her life instead of grounding her opened up another door. Although there is a bit of a feminist push it isn't like other feminist books that allow the issue to take control, smother the story and make the woman look even more of a victim of her circumstances rather than educating the reader.
Instead this book explores how much of a unique individual that Maria was and how her interests made her quite a different person than others that she was suppose to be like. Furthermore every time the same obstacle came up she didn't let it crush her over and over again but rose to meet the challenges, which led to her success.
At the same time the writing is simple, proseful and allows the reader to explore the ocean just as Maria did. But it is also an exploration of facing human trials, of making opportunities out of your restrictions while standing your ground when you know that you are right.
Paired with the beautiful illustrations this is one book that would make for a great read for any science class or even for those who wants their children to know more about female scientists who have left their mark on the world.
***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review***
"Ocean Speaks" explores in brief the life of Maria Tharp and how the challenges in her life instead of grounding her opened up another door. Although there is a bit of a feminist push it isn't like other feminist books that allow the issue to take control, smother the story and make the woman look even more of a victim of her circumstances rather than educating the reader.
Instead this book explores how much of a unique individual that Maria was and how her interests made her quite a different person than others that she was suppose to be like. Furthermore every time the same obstacle came up she didn't let it crush her over and over again but rose to meet the challenges, which led to her success.
At the same time the writing is simple, proseful and allows the reader to explore the ocean just as Maria did. But it is also an exploration of facing human trials, of making opportunities out of your restrictions while standing your ground when you know that you are right.
Paired with the beautiful illustrations this is one book that would make for a great read for any science class or even for those who wants their children to know more about female scientists who have left their mark on the world.
***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review***
June 18, 2021
I wanted to love this, but I found it to be rather blah. I injected as much wonder and excitement as I could into my voice while reading aloud, but it didn't work, we were bored. It's depressing to think of Marie Tharp wanting to dive, but being stuck in a cramped dusty office instead, plotting someone else's data.
I'm not clear on why the map is said to be hers when she wasn't the one who acquired the data. Was her method of plotting the data groundbreaking in some way? I don't know.
The book says that women weren't allowed on ships or science vessels back then (whenever "back then" is, it's not at all clear, but I looked it up and she was born in 1920 and finished her map in 1957, so ... the 40s? maybe? This book could have used a timeline!), but then it shows her on a boat. My daughter pointed out that women weren't allowed on boats and asked why she was on that boat. Good question, and one this book could have addressed. I speculated that maybe it was her own private boat.
I did like the artwork.
I'm not clear on why the map is said to be hers when she wasn't the one who acquired the data. Was her method of plotting the data groundbreaking in some way? I don't know.
The book says that women weren't allowed on ships or science vessels back then (whenever "back then" is, it's not at all clear, but I looked it up and she was born in 1920 and finished her map in 1957, so ... the 40s? maybe? This book could have used a timeline!), but then it shows her on a boat. My daughter pointed out that women weren't allowed on boats and asked why she was on that boat. Good question, and one this book could have addressed. I speculated that maybe it was her own private boat.
I did like the artwork.
January 3, 2022
An interesting picture book about an important map from the 20th-century. I like the illustrations a lot.
Read
October 2, 2020*Read for the Rainbow Readathon day 5: Blue*
April 7, 2020
Ocean Speaks by Jess Keating, illustrated by Katie Hickey, is a great example of what a picture book biography should be.
With a beautiful and fun rhythm, Keating tells the story of Marie Tharp, a brilliant scientist who changed the ways we think about the world and about the secrets that lie beneath the ocean. Tharp's life and work are presented in a way that is easy to understand and relate to, and the science is easy to follow. The illustrations are lively and vibrant, without being overwhelming, and they help bring the story to life for readers. The author's note and Q&A at the end is a great touch for curious kids looking to know more--I know I would have loved this section as a kid, especially since it is so accessible (as so many author's notes in these types of books almost feel like they're directed more at curious parents and caregivers).
I would definitely recommend this for any kids interested in science, the ocean, and history.
With a beautiful and fun rhythm, Keating tells the story of Marie Tharp, a brilliant scientist who changed the ways we think about the world and about the secrets that lie beneath the ocean. Tharp's life and work are presented in a way that is easy to understand and relate to, and the science is easy to follow. The illustrations are lively and vibrant, without being overwhelming, and they help bring the story to life for readers. The author's note and Q&A at the end is a great touch for curious kids looking to know more--I know I would have loved this section as a kid, especially since it is so accessible (as so many author's notes in these types of books almost feel like they're directed more at curious parents and caregivers).
I would definitely recommend this for any kids interested in science, the ocean, and history.
March 22, 2020
While I am glad that so many women are getting recognition for the work they did in the bad old days, I am also annoyed that it has taken so long for them to be recognized.
This is the story about the woman who discovered that the ocean is not flat, beneath the waters, but has ridges, and in fact has mountains higher than mountains on land. She did this all from her desk, since women weren't allowed on ships.
The picture book is written in simple terms, and even talked about how you too can become a geologist.
Such a good biography to add to any collection.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This is the story about the woman who discovered that the ocean is not flat, beneath the waters, but has ridges, and in fact has mountains higher than mountains on land. She did this all from her desk, since women weren't allowed on ships.
The picture book is written in simple terms, and even talked about how you too can become a geologist.
Such a good biography to add to any collection.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
March 5, 2020
Reminded me a bit of the Little People Big Dream collection. A short story/biography about a not so well know person but that still deserved to be noticed for her inspiring path.
July 16, 2020
It never surprises me when I love a picture book written by Jess Keating, since she has proven her expertise in both research and representation of science and scientists within accurate and elegant language. In this case, she elevates the story an eager young naturalist who learned about curiosity and research at her father's elbow but faced gender limits of her time. This is yet another story in which the opportunities for women during WWII launched her eventual career success, but not without continuing barriers and frustrations.
That story of personal preparation and commitment is well told, as is the science/math application through which she eventually set the (all male) world of geology and cartography of the ocean floor on its way into modern understanding. There is so much to unpack in the concepts underlying her incredible use of raw sonar data to not only map the ocean floor but to reveal the plate tectonics that explain centuries of theory and argument.
This intricate life story becomes engaging and enlightening thanks to Keating's well-crafted language and the gorgeous illustrations by Katie Hickey. There images suit each phase of the story, with luminous liquid ocean scenes, a lighthearted interpretation of doubter Jacques Cousteau, and the natural surroundings that had enticed Marie Tharp from her earliest years.
Add this to your must-haves then debate later id it should be shelved with biography, science, STEM topics, women leaders, or other equally important possibilities. No matter what you decide, get it onto your lists for collecting, gifting, and recommending.
That story of personal preparation and commitment is well told, as is the science/math application through which she eventually set the (all male) world of geology and cartography of the ocean floor on its way into modern understanding. There is so much to unpack in the concepts underlying her incredible use of raw sonar data to not only map the ocean floor but to reveal the plate tectonics that explain centuries of theory and argument.
This intricate life story becomes engaging and enlightening thanks to Keating's well-crafted language and the gorgeous illustrations by Katie Hickey. There images suit each phase of the story, with luminous liquid ocean scenes, a lighthearted interpretation of doubter Jacques Cousteau, and the natural surroundings that had enticed Marie Tharp from her earliest years.
Add this to your must-haves then debate later id it should be shelved with biography, science, STEM topics, women leaders, or other equally important possibilities. No matter what you decide, get it onto your lists for collecting, gifting, and recommending.
April 9, 2020
Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharpe Revealed the Ocean’s Biggest Secret, written by Jess Keating and illustrated by Katie Hickey, is a lovely simplified and concise retelling of Tharpe’s early life and then her discovery of the great ocean rift. The story continues with how her findings were at first dismissed and then moves to how she was finally proven right and so came (albeit too slowly) into her well-deserved honors.
The story begins with a young Marie on the beach, with the ocean “stretched out before her, like a big blue mystery.” It’s a lovely opening in the way it immediately presents her sense of curiosity and the world’s wonder, and the simple illustration is equally lovely. We’re introduced to her love of science and the natural world, inspired by her father, and then we get some nicely wry moments where she’s forced to give up science for the more “appropriate” art, which we’re told in deadpan tone she “did not for long.” Thanks to the war, Marie is able to study science and we get a great image of her on a stepladder filling in a blackboard with all sorts of math and science.
Unfortunately, sexism rears its head again, and she’s prevented from going out on research trips because “women were considered bad luck on ships.” When the data starts coming in, however, and she had to “plot every point on paper . . . She had found another way to follow her dream. With her map, she could be an explorer after all.” Here we get a great juxtaposition of images. The first presents the hard work, discipline, and perhaps even tedium, as we see her bent over the end of a lengthy (and I mean lengthy) map painstakingly plotting points, while behind her lies box upon box upon box of more data to input. But then the next few pages turn whimsically lyrical in both image and language as we get illustrations of various metaphorical journeys of imagination, such as her sailing “through reams of smooth paper” and swimming “through bottles of pitch-black ink,” until she’s finally floating across a darkly beautiful (blacks and blues and yellows) image of the ocean floor with her grid lines in the background. This section alone is well worth the price of entry.
And then it’s back into the harsh light (some stark white background help convey this) of the real world, when her map’s revelation of a great rift valley and tall undersea mountains was dismissed by her supervisor as “silly girl-talk) and others, including the great sea explorer Jacques Cousteau, who sent down a camera to prove her wrong. Instead, he confirmed her findings. The final image is of Marie in the prow of an ocean vessel, living her dream for real.
The text is simple and rhythmic, always clear. We’re given enough information to get a sense of her curiosity and persistence, of the battles she had to fight against sexism. Meanwhile, the images are a perfect complement to the words.
An excellent picture book.
The story begins with a young Marie on the beach, with the ocean “stretched out before her, like a big blue mystery.” It’s a lovely opening in the way it immediately presents her sense of curiosity and the world’s wonder, and the simple illustration is equally lovely. We’re introduced to her love of science and the natural world, inspired by her father, and then we get some nicely wry moments where she’s forced to give up science for the more “appropriate” art, which we’re told in deadpan tone she “did not for long.” Thanks to the war, Marie is able to study science and we get a great image of her on a stepladder filling in a blackboard with all sorts of math and science.
Unfortunately, sexism rears its head again, and she’s prevented from going out on research trips because “women were considered bad luck on ships.” When the data starts coming in, however, and she had to “plot every point on paper . . . She had found another way to follow her dream. With her map, she could be an explorer after all.” Here we get a great juxtaposition of images. The first presents the hard work, discipline, and perhaps even tedium, as we see her bent over the end of a lengthy (and I mean lengthy) map painstakingly plotting points, while behind her lies box upon box upon box of more data to input. But then the next few pages turn whimsically lyrical in both image and language as we get illustrations of various metaphorical journeys of imagination, such as her sailing “through reams of smooth paper” and swimming “through bottles of pitch-black ink,” until she’s finally floating across a darkly beautiful (blacks and blues and yellows) image of the ocean floor with her grid lines in the background. This section alone is well worth the price of entry.
And then it’s back into the harsh light (some stark white background help convey this) of the real world, when her map’s revelation of a great rift valley and tall undersea mountains was dismissed by her supervisor as “silly girl-talk) and others, including the great sea explorer Jacques Cousteau, who sent down a camera to prove her wrong. Instead, he confirmed her findings. The final image is of Marie in the prow of an ocean vessel, living her dream for real.
The text is simple and rhythmic, always clear. We’re given enough information to get a sense of her curiosity and persistence, of the battles she had to fight against sexism. Meanwhile, the images are a perfect complement to the words.
An excellent picture book.
August 2, 2022
When I learned about plate tectonics in elementary school, I would have LOVED to have had the concept introduced with this beautiful picture book about a woman played an integral role in our understanding of it (and remembered more about it!). Instead of learning about how continents shifted from the original Pangea for learning's sake (and to pass the test, meet the standard, who the heck cares), I would have been drawn in by this story that also showed the injustice and discrimination of women and even male scientists who had ideas that no one would listen to. Can't most kids relate to that at some point? Not being heard, not feeling like anyone wants to hear your idea? Not being able to do something because of your age or gender? That would have awoken something in me, would have also inspired me, and would have definitely motivated me to learn science for reasons other than to memorize answers for tests.
Science elementary teachers (and middle school teachers, too!), I recommend starting your unit on plate tectonics or sonar or geographical features of the ocean with this brief picture book. So much can be done with it as well as serving as a great intro.
--Discrimination
--not being able to follow your dreams (societal limitations)
--adjusting your dreams to your circumstances
--feeling unheard (read the author's note at the end FOR SURE to see how a male scientist also experienced this with his theory of continental drift
--important female science contributions
--continental drift, plate tectonics, geography of ocean floor, using sonar to determine depth of ocean
--women's rights
--passion for science
Light tone, science content and vocabulary with Q & A at end, opportunity for social justice discussion to reach kids like I was
Science elementary teachers (and middle school teachers, too!), I recommend starting your unit on plate tectonics or sonar or geographical features of the ocean with this brief picture book. So much can be done with it as well as serving as a great intro.
--Discrimination
--not being able to follow your dreams (societal limitations)
--adjusting your dreams to your circumstances
--feeling unheard (read the author's note at the end FOR SURE to see how a male scientist also experienced this with his theory of continental drift
--important female science contributions
--continental drift, plate tectonics, geography of ocean floor, using sonar to determine depth of ocean
--women's rights
--passion for science
Light tone, science content and vocabulary with Q & A at end, opportunity for social justice discussion to reach kids like I was
September 23, 2020
While this book is important in recognizing an important female contributor in science history and bringing her story to the attention of male and female children, I was disheartened by the way in which her painful exclusion was described: “Instead of the vast, open ocean, she dove into her tiny, cramped office. Instead of crashing waves, she sailed through reams of smooth paper. Instead of clouds, she dreamed of calculations. And instead of the dark, mysterious ocean depths, she swam through bottles of pitch-black ink.” With illustrations of a smiling, dreamily content woman. Really? Was she indeed so acquiescent about missing out on the adventures and explorations and recognition her male colleagues were having? And is that the message that we want to provide for young females - the age-old Pollyanna-ish attitude that it was really okay because “look what you got instead!” as if it is some kind of prize to be in a dreary office? I recognize that it is another book that is needed to address the injustice to female scientists, but did this one have to downplay and actually recreate Marie Tharp’s story?
April 22, 2020
Ocean Speaks is the story of Marie Tharp and her accomplishments for science. The illustrations in this book are magical, and detailed in a way that make you feel like you are in the story. The story itself has some themes and words that may be harder for some younger readers to understand, however there is an authors note and further explanation at the end of the book that help teach on those subjects. Ocean Speaks is an intriguing story on how one woman adventured despite the setbacks due to her gender. This is a great read to promote feminism.
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July 17, 2020This is a good STEM biography about a woman who wasn't allowed out on ships to study the ocean like she wanted, so she studied the data about the ocean and discovered that there are mountain ranges and valleys on the ocean floor. Her analysis of the data (redone because no one believed her the first time) helped support tectonic plate theory and change the way we view our earth. This is a wonderful "hidden figure" biography to know and hand to young scientists.
May 28, 2020
Ocean Speaks is another lovely picture book biography, that tells children about how Marie Tharp overcame stereotypes and became a scientist, in a time when women did not often become scientists. She was an American geologist and oceanic cartographer, and she mapped out a rift that others didn't believe existed! She persevered and proved her map correct!
Read
September 3, 2020A WOMAN discovered the idea of continental drift, so no one believed her. But "Marie had only mapped the truth." Fascinating story, beautifully written and illustrated.
January 6, 2021
Very pretty with a great story, my 4 year old stayed very interested repeating words and asking questions. I'd recommend this for kids ages 6 and up however.
January 2, 2022
I loved the writing in this book, and the illustrations were stunning.
April 12, 2020
Much like Shark Lady, Ocean Speaks tells the story of an untold woman who made glorious discoveries. Any biography about a woman who tried to overturn a man's world, is a definite read for me! Keating always does an amazing job of telling the full story in a way that holds the reader's attention and keeps them engaged. Learning about Mary and her discovers and overcoming what other's thought of her, was a perfect read for me.
March 11, 2020
For so long women have been footnotes in history, quietly being brilliant in the background while men take credit for all of their incredible work. There has been a movement in kid lit, authors finding the stories of the women behind some of the world’s greatest discoveries and giving us the most wonderful books to help understand the contributions of all people to history.
Ocean Speaks by Jess Keating and Katie Hickey tells young readers the story of Marie Tharp, the woman who mapped the ocean and discovered the mountain ranges that make up the ocean floor. Given the time in history, during the Second World War, Marie was fortunate to become a scientist, a geologist; however her contributions were confined to a small office instead of out in the field. Incredibly, using depth measurements sent back from the field, she created the first map of the ocean floor, discovering the mid-Atlantic ridge, the highest mountain range in the world.
Jess Keating always brings us the stories of incredible female scientists with an elegance that is so engaging and thought provoking. Her’s are not dry tales of scientists from long ago, they are incredible stories that take the reader on an adventure with these trailblazing women. The reader becomes an explorer and zoologist along with the incredible real scientists in the story.
The illustrations by Katie Hickey are as sparkling as the ocean on a bright sunny day. The depth of blues and greens punctuated with yellows and browns engage the reader and provide so much visual appeal to Jess Keating’s inspiring words
Ocean Speaks by Jess Keating and Katie Hickey tells young readers the story of Marie Tharp, the woman who mapped the ocean and discovered the mountain ranges that make up the ocean floor. Given the time in history, during the Second World War, Marie was fortunate to become a scientist, a geologist; however her contributions were confined to a small office instead of out in the field. Incredibly, using depth measurements sent back from the field, she created the first map of the ocean floor, discovering the mid-Atlantic ridge, the highest mountain range in the world.
Jess Keating always brings us the stories of incredible female scientists with an elegance that is so engaging and thought provoking. Her’s are not dry tales of scientists from long ago, they are incredible stories that take the reader on an adventure with these trailblazing women. The reader becomes an explorer and zoologist along with the incredible real scientists in the story.
The illustrations by Katie Hickey are as sparkling as the ocean on a bright sunny day. The depth of blues and greens punctuated with yellows and browns engage the reader and provide so much visual appeal to Jess Keating’s inspiring words
March 21, 2020
Can't decide which I enjoyed more... the text or the illustrations! Such a inspiring story for youngsters to learn about overcoming challenges with a scientific spin.
May 11, 2020
This book is absolutely gorgeous. The art is amazing, and the story lives up to its quality, with an inspiring take on a little-known female scientist's work. Marie Tharp discovered mountains and valleys in the ocean as she plotted out a map of the ocean floor in her office, and even though her male colleagues didn't believe her about the rift that she found, she was right. This is a great book about a woman in a STEM field, and the author's note includes additional details about how huge her discovery was, and how it went against accepted ideas in the field of geology.
I am incredibly impressed with this picture book biography. Every element of it is ideal, from the radiant art, to the quality of the writing, to the child-friendly science explanations. I also appreciate how the book addresses the sexist limitations that Marie Tharp dealt with in her career without making her story sound like gloom and doom. It celebrates her for what she did accomplish, and for how she rose above people's expectations. Even though her male colleagues relegated her to the less glamorous elements of the job, it was there where she made her discovery, and this is an inspiring story of someone who was passionate about their work and made a difference even without the applause that they deserved.
I received an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am incredibly impressed with this picture book biography. Every element of it is ideal, from the radiant art, to the quality of the writing, to the child-friendly science explanations. I also appreciate how the book addresses the sexist limitations that Marie Tharp dealt with in her career without making her story sound like gloom and doom. It celebrates her for what she did accomplish, and for how she rose above people's expectations. Even though her male colleagues relegated her to the less glamorous elements of the job, it was there where she made her discovery, and this is an inspiring story of someone who was passionate about their work and made a difference even without the applause that they deserved.
I received an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2020
Beautifully illustrated biography of brilliant scientist Marie Tharp, written in a very clear way, perfect for younger readers. At the end of the book, there two pages of interesting information about Maria and oceanic cartography. This is a wonderful teaching tool as well as telling more about a lesser known scientist.
*eARC Netgalley
*eARC Netgalley
February 16, 2021
This is a fantastic book about an incredible ocean cartographer, Marie Tharp, who was the first to discover the mountainous ridges and valleys in the ocean, paving the way for the understanding of plate tectonics. The art is great too.
June 19, 2020
Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharp Revealed the Ocean's Biggest Secret by Jess Keating is a nonfiction picturebook currently scheduled for release on June 30 2020. From a young age, Marie Tharp loved watching the world. She loved solving problems. And she loved pushing the limits of what girls and women were expected to do and be. In the mid-twentieth century, women were not welcome in the sciences, but Marie was tenacious. She got a job in a laboratory at Cambridge University, New York. But then she faced another obstacle: women were not allowed on the research ships (they were considered bad luck on boats). So instead, Marie stayed back and dove deep into the data her colleagues recorded. She mapped point after point and slowly revealed a deep rift valley in the ocean floor. At first the scientific community refused to believe her, but her evidence was irrefutable. She proved to the world that her research was correct. The mid-ocean ridge that Marie discovered is the single largest geographic feature on the planet, and she mapped it all from her small, cramped office.
Ocean Speaks is a read that just might inspire a new generation of children to follow the interests or fields of study they love even when society might cause stumbling blocks. Marie Tharp loved the ocean, and want to take part in the study of it. Because of restrictions placed on her due to gender she was relegated to the background, and her results and work with the data were often dismissed or claimed by others for the very same reason. It was a little satisfying to see that her conclusions were proven, after being dismissed for so long. However, it is often also infuriating to read about how people's intelligence and hard work are so often dismissed, stolen, or mocked because of gender or other factors. I liked learning about Tharp and her work, because much of the information was new to. I also liked the deeper look at her work and the science at the end of the book.
Ocean Speaks is a well written book that can engage a wide range of readers, and I think it would be an especially good addition to school and classroom libraries for the lower grades.
Ocean Speaks is a read that just might inspire a new generation of children to follow the interests or fields of study they love even when society might cause stumbling blocks. Marie Tharp loved the ocean, and want to take part in the study of it. Because of restrictions placed on her due to gender she was relegated to the background, and her results and work with the data were often dismissed or claimed by others for the very same reason. It was a little satisfying to see that her conclusions were proven, after being dismissed for so long. However, it is often also infuriating to read about how people's intelligence and hard work are so often dismissed, stolen, or mocked because of gender or other factors. I liked learning about Tharp and her work, because much of the information was new to. I also liked the deeper look at her work and the science at the end of the book.
Ocean Speaks is a well written book that can engage a wide range of readers, and I think it would be an especially good addition to school and classroom libraries for the lower grades.
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