Salmon Run
An epic journey to the ocean and back
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
★ “The art is a wonder in both style and effectiveness. . . This is an exemplary use of illustrations to convey the biological processes that are often unseeable to humans. R*" – Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
An exquisitely presented account of the life cycle of a Pacific salmon that is sure to entice young naturalists with its accessible design and inviting and informative text
She begins as a tiny orange egg . . . smaller than a pea! Salmon Run follows a Pacific coho salmon as she begins her journey in the freshwater rivers of Washington State, travels to the vast Pacific Ocean, and finally returns to the place of her birth to spawn and begin the cycle of life once again.
During this arduous adventure that spans hundreds of miles, she will grow and change through five distinct stages of life: egg, alevin, fry, smolt, and adult. From river to estuary to ocean, she will hide from predators, search for food, and encounter a range of marine environments.
With a careful balance of scientific accuracy and luminous illustrations, Salmon Run invites young readers to explore the remarkable life of this keystone species in the North Pacific ecosystem—and the magic of its journey home.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Chen charts 1,450 days of a coho salmon's life in this eye-opening picture book. On day one, a Pacific salmon "begins her life in the cool waters of the Duwamish River," and ensuing pages detail the numerous changes the fish undergoes, from "tiny orange egg, smaller than a pea!" to fry drawn to journeying oceanward before adapting for a saltwater environment. When she eventually navigates back to her birth site to lay eggs, she takes on the red and green hues for which salmon are known. Concise narration paints a spare but incredible scientific story; watercolors have the translucent feel of sun prints, even as they offer realistic renderings of watery settings. An author's note and more conclude. Ages 5–8.
