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(as of Dec 03, 2024 10:29:04 UTC – Details)

Big Decisions – Ocean Exploration – Marine Animal Rescues – New Friends

Samantha Wellesley has been given five days to make a BIG choice: go back to her safe, predictable home in Texas, or live on a floating lab called the Bubble as it rides the swells of the Pacific Ocean.

Sure, she and her family will be doing research to help save the oceans along with another family. But this is notSamantha’s idea. She has never been in or on the ocean before. Will the Bubble bounce around on the waves and make her seasick all the time? Will stormy seas push her overboard to drown? And who are these strange people she will have to live with?

What will Samantha choose?

As she explores life on the Bubble, Samantha gets first-hand experience with the ocean and ocean life. She learns what to do when she finds a stranded, line-tangled baby seal. She masters how to escape from an upside-down kayak, and she rides out a storm in her new floating home on the ocean. We meet Henrietta, a pet octopus, and the new tank of decorator crabs Samantha has been asked to care for. Through Samantha’s eyes, we learn about sea otters, jellyfish, and mola molas.

And as Samantha struggles over her decision, she meets the other kids on the Bubble and learns that they are also wrestling with making this big move. However, they seem to be dealing with the shift in different ways. Samantha learns the value of looking at her situation from a higher perspective, seeing the good things about her new home, and facing her fears head on.

The Splash! series offers kids insights into how they can handle difficult situations in their lives. Moving homes can be disrupting and kids can feel out of control as they are forced to leave friends, family, and schools behind. Samantha tackles this problem in the first book. Then there is the problem of fitting in at the new place. Samantha handles this situation with a detailed ‘Possibilities List’ and a bit of humor in the second book, A Piece of the Action. Understanding risks and how to minimize them, learning good internet search skills, and handling a fear of public speaking are all in Samantha’s future in the Splash! series.

In addition, during Samantha’s journey up the West Coast of North America, she learns about a totally different world—the deep, salty ocean that wraps almost three-quarters of our planet. She meets many unique and amazing animals that live in our waters and discovers how the different algae and animal communities thrive together. Each book explores new habitats such as kelp forests, mud sloughs, and mussel beds and introduces marine animals from white sharks to microscopic zooplankton.

Samantha is also gently introduced to some of the threats our oceans face and to how we can minimize those threats for the health of both marine animals and people alike. As the Bubble motors north, Samantha learns about the important work of many groups of people trying to study, save, and steward various marine animals and habitats. From aquariums and rescue centers to marine research centers and scientists, they are all working hard using the latest techniques and equipment to monitor and help our oceans become healthier.

Samantha’s internal journey is one of dawning awareness of the watery world around her, ocean stewardship, and a newly gained personal confidence as she encounters unique situations to navigate.

If you enjoy action and exploration like the Virginia Series, the Magic Tree House, National Treasure, and the National Park Mystery Series, you’ll love this series. The stories are modern-day fiction set in real locations along the Pacific Coast from California all the way to Alaska. These illustrated books are popular with both girls and boys ages 8-12, appealing to even reluctant readers.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BP3SXQ2N
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Carmel River Publishing (December 4, 2022)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 4, 2022
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4073 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 114 pages