Journey Into the Deep
By Liz Panarelli,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Stunning pictures make kids feel like ocean explorers.

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Journey Into the Deep
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What’s It About?
Journey into the Deep is an eight-chapter e-book by Rebecca L. Johnson that takes kids on a first-person journey into the depths of the sea for an ocean creature census. Each page includes vivid photographs that really come to life on the iPad screen, as well as videos of marine life. Each chapter goes a bit deeper into the ocean -- from Shallow Edges to the Open Water, to the mountains of the seas, Ridges and Vents, and The Unfathomable Deep. Kids learn about DNA, scientific classification, biodiversity, and chemosynthesis. They read how shifting plates formed the ridges and vents in the ocean, discover what a career in marine biology might be like, and learn about conservation efforts to protect the sea and its creatures. The app includes a glossary, discussion questions, and links to other resources.
Is It Any Good?
In her introductory video on Journey Into the Deep, author Rebecca L. Johnson shares her goal: to inspire young readers with a sense of wonder about the world's oceans. This book app certainly accomplishes that task. The beautiful photography enriched by clear and compelling language conveys a sense of adventure and excitement otherwise hard to drum up for tiny, rarely seen species. The quotations and photos of scientists working on the project make the research feel real and immediate. It would be great to have more interactive elements, but overall this is an enjoyable and interesting read for any kid learning about the oceans.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Take kids to an aquarium to see some of the undersea world up close.
Talk about the similarities between what we know and are learning about the undersea world to what we know about outer space.
App Details
- Device: iPad
- Subjects: Science: animals, ecosystems and the environment, Social Studies: geography, Language & Reading: reading
- Skills: Self-Direction: academic development, Thinking & Reasoning: asking questions, collecting data, Tech Skills: using and applying technology
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Release date: May 31, 2011
- Category: Books
- Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
- Version: 1.0
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 3.2 or later
- Last updated: August 22, 2016
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