I will start off with, this is a book about coral reefs, so how did they manage to add at least two fart jokes and a belch? Very ingeniously!
Coral Reefs: Cities of the Ocean is the basics of coral reefs. We see how they have inspired human inventions and architecture by the size, shapes, forms, and even the creatures that live among them. While the images are almost basic, there is a lot of goodness packed in. However, most pages are not too crowded. A few can be, but not in any way that is taking away from the information.
Overall, this graphic novel is humorous and informative, and even this adult learned a few things. Somewhat like the author, Maris Wicks, who had never seen a coral reef until they started researching for the book, I knew little to nothing about coral reefs (and have yet to seen one). But what I did know, and the accessible way of presenting the theme, I was able to understand more.
I enjoyed how this was a bit more simply presented than some of the other Science Comics from First Second but does not lose anything that is needed to present the wonderful world of coral reefs. And while some of the additional resources might be dated (this book was originally published in 2016), the information inside is not. There are no specifics (such as in Australia at points X and Y, ten sea horses remain) allowing this book to never really be outdated.
With an introduction by Randi Rotjan, this book is best for kids who like facts, animals, and maybe is taking a trip to the ocean. Best probably ages 6 to 10, but recommended for older if presented correctly.
