The Seal Garden

K-Gr 3—Set in the misty Great Bear Rainforest on Gribbell Island in British Colombia, this book explores an atmospheric and surprising habitat. Northern elephant seals, harbor seals, sea lions, and sea and river otters hardly spend all day basking on the rocky shores, as one might imagine. McAllister's up-close images reveal the lively show that is life in a seal garden. This refuge is part-playground, part—napping room that provides shelter from the crashing waves and protection from the animals' main predator, the orca (they are too large to maneuver in the garden). Tension mounts as three orcas prowl the edge of the seal garden. But young readers will breathe a sigh of relief when the orcas are forced to move on with empty bellies to the next feeding ground. Playful images of seals abound. Even the coral, kelp, and stones are shot with care and somehow, even in a place with such abundant rainfall, McAllister manages to capture the sun's rays cutting through the water. The text is well laid out on the page; the white boxes break up the blue/green hues of the underwater environment. McAllister and Read's love for the wildlife of the Great Bear Rainforest is evident in their respect for their subjects.