Winner of 2016 PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children’s Book Discovery Award

Author: Michelle Cusolito www.michellecusolito.com

Illustrator: Nicole Wong www.nicole-wong.com

I must confess. I would never have known the existence of a Dumbo Octopus or a Ghost Crab or tube worms, and more, without reading FLYING DEEP, written by, Michelle Cusolito, and illustrated by, Nicole Wong.

Two grandsons who keep me company in the summer months were not as sold on the book, at first. They are good swimmers and were not bothered one bit by three passengers who are sinking to the bottom of the ocean while aboard Alvin, a small, submersible. They were concerned about how long it took to arrive at the bottom.

I began the story at the back of the book. The illustrations were compelling. The Glossary defined Dumbo Octopus and tube worms as living organisms. If we were inside Alvin, would we see them? We read facts about how far down Alvin must travel. How long would that take? We began turning pages faster, and the boys read, too.

“Look, there’s a Ghost Crab! Those aren’t flowers, Grandma. They’re tube worms”
FLYING DEEP was an exciting journey that opened our eyes to the wonders of the ocean.

To learn more about ALVIN, go to www.whoi.edu/main/hov-alvin
Thank you, Charlesbridge Publishing and Eight Cousins bookstore in Falmouth, MA. Thank you, Tara Lazar, for a STORYSTORM day with Michelle Cusolito.                        Thank you, Michelle, for signing my copy of your award-winning book.