Lyrical prose and delicate engravings elevate an informational book about sea horses to a lovely work of art. “In the warm ocean, among the waving sea-grass meadows, an eye like a small black bead is watching the fish dart by.” The eye belongs to a male Barbour’s sea horse, and the author goes on to describe his camouflage capability, mating behavior, and “pregnancy,” as he carries eggs in a pouch on his body. One of the hundreds of babies born from his pouch is a female, “as long as your eyelash,” who eats plankton and makes her home on a coral reef. The story text is supplemented with sea horse facts on most pages, noted in a smaller typeface. An index and additional paragraph about sea horses are found at the book’s end. (Ages 4–8)

A brief text covers the physical characteristics of the Barbour’s sea horse ( Hippocampus barbouri ) and its food habits, movement, predators, and life cycle, including mating and the role of the male in carrying the eggs. Ten other species of sea horses are pictured and labeled with their common and scientific names on the endpapers. Using vinyl engravings, printed wood tex tures, and watercolor washes, Lawrence creates a detailed undersea setting. Back matter includes an index, brief notes about sea horses, and notes from the author and the illustrator about writing and illustrating the book. 2007 USBBY Outstanding International Books List. ca

Originally published as Seahorse by Walker Books Great Britain, in 2006.