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From Shore to Ocean Floor: The Human Journey to the Deep
From sandy beaches to mysterious, inky depths, this beautiful book is the story of ocean exploration, from shore to ocean floor.
Seen from space, Earth is a swirl of blue and white. The blue is Earth's oceans, which cover 70 percent of its surface. Yet the ocean is the most unexplored region of our planet. From Shore to Ocean Floor is the story of how humans went from building the first boats to discovering the secrets of the deep. Marvel at incredible scientific discoveries, be dazzled by some of the most exciting new species, and admire the incredible people who took the very first steps below the surface.
Seen from space, Earth is a swirl of blue and white. The blue is Earth's oceans, which cover 70 percent of its surface. Yet the ocean is the most unexplored region of our planet. From Shore to Ocean Floor is the story of how humans went from building the first boats to discovering the secrets of the deep. Marvel at incredible scientific discoveries, be dazzled by some of the most exciting new species, and admire the incredible people who took the very first steps below the surface.
80 pages, Hardcover
Published May 2, 2023
About the author
Gill Arbuthnott
45 books33 followersI was born and brought up in Edinburgh, where I went to James Gillespie’s High School, famous as the school where the author Muriel Spark was educated, and on which she based her most famous book The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
Almost all the teachers when I was there seemed to be wildly eccentric spinsters. There was one maths teacher who would climb into a cupboard at one end of the room, and reappear out from a cupboard door at the other end! Then there was Miss Dalgliesh. She was my teacher in Primary 5. She always wore a black teaching gown, and used to swoop round the room like a large, friendly rook. She had a stuffed tawny owl in her room, and if you were particularly good, you might be allowed to take it home for the night! She used to invite some of us (we were all girls in Gillespie’s back then) to the flat she shared with her sister, to eat cream cakes and listen to her sister play the piano… I don’t think they don’t make teachers like that any more, sadly.
When I finished school I went off to St Andrew’s University to study Zoology, then did teacher training (just so I could have another year lolling around as a student really). At that point, I thought I wanted to be a proper Scientist, so I went off to Southampton University to start a PhD. Unfortunately, I was rubbish at research. I wasn’t nearly clever enough. So I became a Biology teacher instead!
All the time though, what I really wanted to do was write. I wrote in secret (I know, how sad is that?) so that not even my family knew my Dark Secret. I tried a couple of books for adults, but just amassed a splendid collection of rejection slips. Then I saw the Millennium Clock in the museum in Edinburgh, and suddenly I was writing the Chaos Clock, and suddenly it had turned into a childrens’ book. I still don’t quite know how that happened. It seemed to just decide it was a childrens’ book, and I didn’t feel I was in a position to argue with it.
Now, I can’t imagine why I ever wanted to write for adults. This has got to be the best job in the world…
Almost all the teachers when I was there seemed to be wildly eccentric spinsters. There was one maths teacher who would climb into a cupboard at one end of the room, and reappear out from a cupboard door at the other end! Then there was Miss Dalgliesh. She was my teacher in Primary 5. She always wore a black teaching gown, and used to swoop round the room like a large, friendly rook. She had a stuffed tawny owl in her room, and if you were particularly good, you might be allowed to take it home for the night! She used to invite some of us (we were all girls in Gillespie’s back then) to the flat she shared with her sister, to eat cream cakes and listen to her sister play the piano… I don’t think they don’t make teachers like that any more, sadly.
When I finished school I went off to St Andrew’s University to study Zoology, then did teacher training (just so I could have another year lolling around as a student really). At that point, I thought I wanted to be a proper Scientist, so I went off to Southampton University to start a PhD. Unfortunately, I was rubbish at research. I wasn’t nearly clever enough. So I became a Biology teacher instead!
All the time though, what I really wanted to do was write. I wrote in secret (I know, how sad is that?) so that not even my family knew my Dark Secret. I tried a couple of books for adults, but just amassed a splendid collection of rejection slips. Then I saw the Millennium Clock in the museum in Edinburgh, and suddenly I was writing the Chaos Clock, and suddenly it had turned into a childrens’ book. I still don’t quite know how that happened. It seemed to just decide it was a childrens’ book, and I didn’t feel I was in a position to argue with it.
Now, I can’t imagine why I ever wanted to write for adults. This has got to be the best job in the world…
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 24, 2023
What worked:
This book charts the history of underwater exploration and blends different forms of writing to accomplish it. Non-fiction books are typically great if someone is researching a specific topic but reading nonstop facts can make them boring from a general interest standpoint. This book includes pages about various ocean myths and legends from around the world including a Scandinavian myth explaining why the oceans are so salty. There’s a graphic short story about rescuing sailors in a sunken submarine which is more interesting than just sharing the information. Other illustrated pages present the history of submarines and diving suits with brief paragraphs. This makes the information approachable and not overwhelming.
The chapters span a wide range of material, but again, it’s not so in-depth that it overpowers young minds. Famous ocean explorers like Jacques Cousteau, Emperor Hirohito, and Asha De Vos are showcased in one chapter. Other chapters explain the physics of ocean currents, waves, and how submarines work. There’s an entire chapter on the Mariana Trench, the Abyss, with a graphic story of the first mission to touch its bottom, 33,000 feet below the surface, and other pages sharing the variety of creatures found down there. Another section highlights the information oceans have revealed concerning climate change, new medicines, and evolution.
What didn’t work as well:
The book doesn’t go into great detail about any specific topics so it’s better used for general entertainment rather than a source for research. The book can pique interest regarding an assortment of subjects but readers will need to find other places to get a full picture of them.
The Final Verdict:
This book does an amazing job of presenting information about the oceans without becoming dull and uninteresting. It blends facts, stories, and science to inform readers about the history and mystery of the oceans around the world. Overall, I recommend you give it a shot!
This book charts the history of underwater exploration and blends different forms of writing to accomplish it. Non-fiction books are typically great if someone is researching a specific topic but reading nonstop facts can make them boring from a general interest standpoint. This book includes pages about various ocean myths and legends from around the world including a Scandinavian myth explaining why the oceans are so salty. There’s a graphic short story about rescuing sailors in a sunken submarine which is more interesting than just sharing the information. Other illustrated pages present the history of submarines and diving suits with brief paragraphs. This makes the information approachable and not overwhelming.
The chapters span a wide range of material, but again, it’s not so in-depth that it overpowers young minds. Famous ocean explorers like Jacques Cousteau, Emperor Hirohito, and Asha De Vos are showcased in one chapter. Other chapters explain the physics of ocean currents, waves, and how submarines work. There’s an entire chapter on the Mariana Trench, the Abyss, with a graphic story of the first mission to touch its bottom, 33,000 feet below the surface, and other pages sharing the variety of creatures found down there. Another section highlights the information oceans have revealed concerning climate change, new medicines, and evolution.
What didn’t work as well:
The book doesn’t go into great detail about any specific topics so it’s better used for general entertainment rather than a source for research. The book can pique interest regarding an assortment of subjects but readers will need to find other places to get a full picture of them.
The Final Verdict:
This book does an amazing job of presenting information about the oceans without becoming dull and uninteresting. It blends facts, stories, and science to inform readers about the history and mystery of the oceans around the world. Overall, I recommend you give it a shot!
March 12, 2024
Each two page spread in this colorful book covers a different aspect of what makes the ocean so amazing. From ocean exploration, including a timeline and the advance of diving equipment, to sunken cities, shipwrecks, tectonic plates, and submarine volcanoes, this book has a little bit of everything about the ocean - it does indeed cover it from shore to floor. Note: sometimes the black print is difficult to read on the colored page.
April 14, 2023
Another incredible offering by Big Picture Press. Every question a child (or adult), might have about the history and technology of ocean exploration is clearly and entertainingly answered in this beautiful non-fiction book. Almost 80 pages of fascinating information. I highly recommend this title for classroom, library or a personal collection. It is terrific!
Want to read
September 9, 2022Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews