Can you imagine life as an oyster farmer? How are
tiny baby oysters grown in the water? Find out from
eleven-year-old Sam and his twin sister Kate, who take
you on a guided tour of their family oyster farm in
Maine. Full of fascinating facts as well as vivid
photographs and illustrations, Farming on the Sea is
author Kellie Peters’s fun and educational look at the
world of aquaculture that is certain to engage children
ages seven- to ten-years-old who are curious about
nature and science. It’s a one-of-a-kind work of
nonfiction that brings this vivid world to life for
inquisitive young minds. Young Sam knows all about
oyster farming. After all, his parents own a farm in the
Damariscotta River, a tidal estuary of midcoast Maine.
Now, he shares everything he has learned with children
everywhere. First, Sam invites us to join his sister
Kate and his dad as they spend a day at an aquaculture
hatchery, where tiny baby oysters will be grown to be
sent to their farm, Norumbega Oyster. He explains that
oysters are mollusks and what it means to be this type
of shellfish, including a sketch of the inside of an
American oyster. At the shellfish hatchery, he and Kate
inspect the large tubes of algae that are fed to mature
oysters so they will spawn baby oysters. They also look
through a microscope to see the tiny oyster seed. From
there, they head out on the water to care for all the
oysters on their sea farm, discussing the many creatures
of the sea and the land that they see along the way on
the coastal waters in the Northeast, including ospreys,
ducks, seals, and even whales. Then it’s time to get to
work, lifting bags of six-month-old oysters out of the
water to check them. Dad puts on his SCUBA gear to dive
to the bottom of the sea to pick up the three-year-old
oysters they are going to sell. Sam explains how to
harvest the oysters, which will be delivered to
restaurants and seafood shops for everyone to enjoy.
Farming on The Sea also includes a glossary; U.S. and
world maps that show what aquaculture species are grown
where; a detailed diagram of the inside of an oyster; as
well as suggested references so children can learn more
about the subject. It also features facts that are
aligned with the National Science Standards, a table of
contents, and an index. Easy-to-read and packed with
invaluable information, Farming on the Sea offers a
real-life view of the wonderful world beneath the sea
that is certain to encourage young readers to cultivate
a lifelong love of science, one delicious oyster at a
time.
|
|