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Down Down Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea

(2009, Non-Fiction - Animals, Written by Steve Jenkins, Illustrated by Steve Jenkins)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 4, age appropriate for kids over 5; suggested age 6.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    The sea floor comes to life in this visual book of facts.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 6 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    The book encourages kids to be curious about the world around them.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    A few illustrations depict animals eating other animals, but they aren't graphic. Behaviors of predation and defense are described.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    The scientific name for Vampire Squid means "vampire squid from hell."

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Down Down Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea

Parents need to know that some of the animals shown are creepy looking, with big teeth, spines, spikes, or odd shapes. Also, animals are not to scale, so some appear huge when, in fact, they may be small. (Or vice versa.) The language is heavy at times, and parents may find themselves explaining words along the way to make it more accessible for younger audiences (for instance, water pressure, bioluminescence, and hydrothermal vents). Many different units of measurement are used, including feet, meters, miles, kilometers, Celsius, Fahrenheit, kilograms, pounds, etc.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about their own experience with water. Have you been to the ocean, swam in it, snorkeled, boated, fished? Have you ever collected shells on the beach and learned about them? What kind of animal were they and where did they come from? Families can also talk about the different ways animals live. What would it be like to live in complete darkness? What would it be like to be tiny or very large? Families might learn more about the marine animals by visiting an aquarium and doing further reading.
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