Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storey Publishing, and Storey Publishing, LLC for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I definitely requested this book because of that beautiful cover. I am also a complete nerd when it comes to the ocean and everything in it so I knew that this book would be perfect for me. I was not disappointed. This book was both really beautiful and also really informative.

I highly recommend this book!

Really good information book about coral reefs and the creatures and plants that live there. children will love the highly illustrated pages as well as all the facts. i will use it as an accompaniment to when we study the great barrier reef

3.5 stars
What a lovely, magical book! The illustrations are simply stunning. This coral reef book is fantastic. Not only for children, but also for adults.
My kids enjoyed looking at the illustrations and asked me to 'read' it to them for several days in a row.

Highly recommend this book

I love books like this that have a focus on the natural world.

The illustrations were just wonderful and they brought the book to life and off the pages.

The book had plenty of fun and scientific facts too but it is set at the perfect level for the age range and I enjoyed it as a mum too!

I love a book that I can read with my daughter that keeps her attention and is one that she learns from and wants us to pick up to carry on reading - and this one was a big hit with her.

It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!

This gorgeously illustrated nonfiction picture book is the perfect resource for learning about our planet's coral reefs.

Learn about the different kinds of coral, where they live and grow, what creatures depend on them for food and shelter, their life cycle, and more! You will also learn how coral reefs help us by providing a source of food, medicine, and a natural barrier from storms.

Of course, just like the ocean itself, our planet's coral reefs need our help. This book gives great information on how our daily habits affect the coral reefs, as well as tips to help protect them.

Includes the Hawaiian creation story, a glossary, and lots of fantastic links to extra resources that include interactive videos and visual activities, games, apps, database contributions, and more!
There's also a curriculum guide for educators!

This book is chalked full of information about coral reefs, where they are, how they grow, how the live and what lives there. I enjoyed the information on what we can do to keep reefs healthy and growing. The coral reefs are facing some real challenges and the book did a nice job of showing them. The pictures and illustrations are amazing. I learned a lot of things I didn't know.

‘The World of Coral Reefs’ is a beautiful book that gives an appropriately pitched insight for children aged about 7-10. It is exquisitely illustrated for a STEM book: the artwork really is beautiful. However, the text could have been a little more engaging considering the target audience.

Nonetheless, it is very informative and an important educational read for children, especially in light of the current threat to this vital marine ecosystem. I look forward to reading it with my children once they are old enough to understand and appreciate it.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a reading copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

This was a great book and I think kids of all ages will love it and learn so much. I know I learned quite a bit that I didn't already know. It's packed full of facts and vibrant colorful illustrations and I would definitely read it again.

My nephew is a major ocean buff, a lot of his favorite books are about ocean life and he's been able to identify creatures rapidly the more he reads these. So, this seemed like a perfect fit.

Sadly, he was utterly bored by this. I tried rephrasing, and focusing on the artwork, but it didn't keep his interest at all. The artwork *is* beautiful, but I have to admit I expected more.

The World of Coral Reefs by Erin Spender is so exquisitely made that I've decided every child in my life I am going to give a copy. It is an unforgettable book. I have seen such beautifully illustrated children's books but this one is so wonderfully scientifically linked that it locks in the education because it's so linked with beauty.

The author takes us under the water to learn what is happening with corals how they grow, how they survive, and why so many are dying. We need a world of environmentalists and ocean advocates and this one helps in that journey. I also greatly appreciate the sea turtle on the cover it really captures the eye and then the journey to the world of corals begins.

I consider myself an ocean advocate and did not know that scientists are growing/planting coral reefs in the ocean and studying them. Just the part alone of how it is explained how coral reefs grow is enough alone but this book has so much more. I personally feel this book has an appeal for a wide readership but it is geared for elementary school and so many more ages would benefit from this book. Highly recommended for libraries and gift-giving!

I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity and for the publisher Storey.

A stunningly beautiful information text about the coral reef ecosystem. The full page illustrations will lure in young readers and those interested in marine biology. There is a little something for everyone, from visuals to impressive information.

The World of Coral Reefs: Explore and Protect the Natural Wonders of the Sea by Erin Spencer is currently scheduled for release on March 29 2022. Coral reefs occupy less than 1% of the ocean floor, but they support 25% of all marine species with food and shelter. In this illustrated book for ages 7 to 10, marine ecologist and underwater explorer Erin Spencer provides information including details about the types of coral, their anatomy and life cycle, where they live, how reefs develop, and the incredible diversity of marine animals that live among them, including aquarium favorites like clownfish, royal blue tangs, and sea turtles. Kids learn about the interdependent relationships of people and reefs and how human behavior puts reefs in danger, promising conservation work that scientists are undertaking, and solution-oriented ways kids and families can help in the effort.

The World of Coral Reefs is an accessible book, with a great deal of information that in interesting and engaging. I learned a few new things, and thought the text was well written and balanced with the illustrations. The format made it easy to stay focused on the subject matter and engaged with the book. I thought the illustrations were good, but I have to admit to being spoiled with great illustrations in the books I have been reading lately. There was nothing wrong with the artwork, it was well done and I could see the talent and work that went into it- however with such a brilliant subject matter I was admittedly hoping for something more realistic. The issue was with my sky high expectations. I was thrilled to see the endpages, including a glossary and fairly extensive list of resources to dive deeper into the subject matter. This makes me especially happy with children's nonfiction, because you never know when you might be inspiring a scientist or activist with these books and those resources might be the start of something world changing.

Coral Reefs Up Close: Explore and Protect the Natural Wonders of the Sea by Erin T. Spencer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Obviously meant for younger readers, this comic that ought to delight and edify us about the wonders of coral reefs KINDA does its job.

I mean, a little more than half of it does just that. Descriptions, names, okay art, and a little bit of the wonder. It was OKAY. I mean, it's meant for young readers. I remember stuff like this in my own elementary library.

So why aren't I just giving this a bit more love under the explicit reason that it is what it is?

Because more than a third of it turned on its heels and put the focus back on "everyday" folks who are killing all the coral or using too much water in their suburban homes and PLEASE don't forget to write letters to your politicians.

In other words, it snatches away any kind of WONDER you might have felt and attempts to GUILT you instead.

Let's be real for a moment. Real change comes from the top. Big corporations and governments are more than complicit in trashing the reefs. Most of the weak media we get about the destruction is a PR shift to blame the ignorant public for the deaths when it's actually the corporations' and governments' fault. Want less trash? Completely alter the way that foodstuffs and packaging are handled. Don't make products that poison the world. Don't HAND all the poison to everyone and expect them to miraculously find some way to make that poison disappear. JUST PREVENT IT ALTOGETHER.

What I wanted from this book was to be instilled with awe and wonder for the coral reefs, to understand and FEEL why they ought to be saved, viscerally, emotionally, and visually. An eight-year-old isn't going to have the ability to solve the other, systemic problem, so why are you trying so hard to blame them or have them blame their parents? The true blame lies ELSEWHERE.

Sadly, this was not as good as I had thought. The art was cute but considering that this was a science book for children detailing how corals work (amongst other things), the drawings should have been slightly clearer too. Also, the text could have been just as informative while being ... less boring. I feel bad while writing this but this was NOT my first science book for children and it's so very important to draw them in and keep them enthralled and this book didn't do that. It was OK but nothing that rocked my world, sadly.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

This is a non-fiction picture book with gorgeous illustrations and well organized information. I liked that the book didn't feel too text heavy and yet still felt like it offered a lot of information about coral reefs. There are also additional educational resources at the end of the book.

An excellent enrichment book for middle grades! This is both visually stunning and well-organized, so it's easy and appealing for students to read. There's lots of great information about how coral grows, what role it plays in the ecosystem, and how it can be protected. The text is presented in manageable chunks with gorgeous illustrations, so this would be a good option for a reluctant reader who might need some incentive to get interested in reading. This would make a wonderful addition to school and classroom libraries!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

This is an educational book comprised of beautiful pictures and in-depth information about coral reef ecosystems. I did an undergraduate term paper on this exact topic several decades ago and much of that information is neatly gathered within this book.

I would have preferred to have the animals labeled next to their pictures to make it easier to tell which animal went with which verbiage. There is a lot of information on each page and it’s easy to get confused. A table of contents at the beginning would have been a nice addition.

At the end of the book, there were further resources for further online information. I really liked this aspect. I followed the provided links and was impressed about the breadth and depth of the information available for young learners. I estimate this book to be geared for children ages 7 – 10. Younger children would need parental involvement.

The author was extremely knowledgeable, and I think many children would find this information fun to learn. It could easily be adapted to a learning module in a classroom.

I want to thank Author Erin Spencer, Storey Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this Advanced Reader’s Copy. This is a voluntary review, and all comments and opinions are entirely my own.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. A beautiful book about the plants and animals and living creatures in the coral reefs.

This book's strengths lie in its lovely color illustrations. It is an informative book about coral reefs, which will probably appeal to those interested in science and sea life. This book is no doubt intended for kids, but the advanced vocabulary seems more suited to adult readers. The information would be communicated quite well without the scientific vocabulary words inserted in the text.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.