Sea of Constellations

by Melissa Cristina Márquez, Rocío Arreola Mendoza (Illustrator)

Overview

"This gentle aquatic fable reminds us that friendship and selflessness can be powerful beacons against fear and hopelessness, even in times of darkness. A visually appealing tale with a sound message sure to resonate with readers." —Kirkus Reviews

Melissa Cristina Márquez returns with a new underwater story perfect for young readers! When the ocean goes dark, Maren the whale shark and her best friend, Remy the remora, set out to find answers and to provide light for those they encounter in this encouraging picture book.

Maren the whale shark loves her life as the biggest, brightest fish in the sea. She spends her days exploring the water around her and finding fresh new snacks as she travels. But one day, the ocean goes dark and Maren’s adventures come to a halt. With only the glow from the scales on her back and her best friend, Remy the remora, by her side, Maren sets out on her greatest quest yet—to cross the ocean and ask the Aztec goddess Huixtocihuatl about the darkness and to figure out how to bring back the light. Along the way she meets new friends and exemplifies the power of sharing!

Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree, globally renowned shark scientist, and author of Mother of Sharks, is back to introduce a variety of fish and other fun sea creatures in this picture book celebrating community, friendship, and supporting others in times of need. Brought to life by Rocío Arreola Mendoza’s stellar illustrations, this ocean adventure is sure to educate and excite young readers about the sea while passing along positive lessons to be used on land.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593523605
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	05/28/2024
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	249,923
Product dimensions:	10.44(w) x 10.31(h) x 0.45(d)
Lexile:	640L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Melissa Cristina Márquez is a fiercely proud Hispanic marine biologist, wildlife educator, professional speaker, and presenter. She has given two TEDx talks on sharks and female scientists, and her work has been highlighted in NPR, Allure, Disney+, BBC, National Geographic, Good Morning America, and more. In 2021, Melissa was featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30: Science list and the InStyle 50 Badass Women list. Melissa holds a BA in marine ecology and conservation from New College of Florida and an MS in marine biology from Victoria University. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Mexico, Melissa aims to bring attention to the importance of diversity and inclusion with her writing.

Rocío Arreola Mendoza lives in North Mexico with her husband, child, and cats. She has illustrated campaigns for the Matamoros city government and is a cofounder of Cúrcumas Creative Studio.

Editorial Reviews

04/29/2024

Two sea creatures seek to consult an Aztec deity about the ocean’s darkness in this teamwork tale from Márquez (Mother of Sharks) and Arreola Mendoza (Paula’s Patches). When the ocean inexplicably dims one day, Maren the whale shark and remora Remy head to visit Huixtocihuatl, who “rules the sea and probably knows what is going on.” Encountering frightened marine friends along the way, Maren, whose shiny spots make her the brightest thing going, shares her shiny scales with first Remy, and then a variety of other creatures seeking light. Finally, having given away all her scales, Maren and Remy find themselves unable to navigate their way to the goddess, until communal generosity brings answers to the creatures’ questions—and delivers a sparkling change of fate. An azure palette mimics different sea depths alongside the creatures’ friendly expressions throughout this epic work with The Rainbow Fish vibes. Back matter offers more about Aztec deities and the animals featured. Huixtocihuatl is portrayed with goldenrod skin. Ages 5–8. (May)

Publishers Weekly

2024-03-23
When the ocean is suddenly plunged into darkness, a whale shark embarks on a quest to put things right.

Maren loves living in the deep blue sea and traveling the world with her best friend, Remy the remora. Fear and confusion grip Maren and the other ocean creatures when they find themselves lost in their home after the light in the ocean goes out. Remy suggests that they seek help from Huixtocihuatl, the Aztec goddess of salt and salt water. They set out, Maren lighting the way with her soft, glowing scales. On the way, the pair encounter a scared fish, and Maren gives him a scale to use as a light source. Maren has a good heart and a generous spirit, and she gives most of her scales away to other frightened fish along the way. She and Remy end up in the dark again before reaching the goddess. Maren is ultimately repaid for her good deeds by her friends and is rewarded for her altruism by Huixtocihuatl herself. Bright-white highlights stand out against shades of deep blue, which make the illustrations sparkle and shine as readers follow Maren’s journey across the ocean. The adorably anthropomorphized sharks, anglerfish, and other creatures cut endearing figures. This gentle aquatic fable reminds us that friendship and selflessness can be powerful beacons against fear and hopelessness, even in times of darkness.

A visually appealing tale with a sound message sure to resonate with readers. (information on Huixtocihuatl and the animals featured in the book) (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews