Amazing Jellyfish

If you would be full of wonder at the sea wasp with its 60 tentacles ‘each with 500,000 toxic spines’ or the way the thimble jellyfish might give you a rash inside your swimming costume, then this is the book for you – or a young reader you know. Full of ‘Did you know?’ moments, jokes of a Christmas cracker standard, and intriguing digressions ‘For Bright Minds’,  Stavaric, Ganser and Latsch have produced a book to educate and delight. There are times when perhaps the book needed more severe pruning – Czech tongue-twisters? So much about Australia? Stavaric’s eccentric view on what the book has to offer is at times a joy, and at times, maybe, a little irksome.

This is a beautifully set out book, and Ganser’s subdued yet exuberant deep-sea illustrations are a perfect accompaniment to the text. This book introduces the reader to an intriguing and beautiful world, the threats to its ecology, and along the way  some strange creatures.

‘I wonder where I should begin this story.’ The author’s voice and address to the reader is to the fore throughout this book, and while this does relieve the text of over-formality, the chattiness can grate sometimes: ‘For those of you who need to know everything…’ ‘Perhaps you’re more of the leisurely type?’ or ‘I’m still searching for suitable words with which to really get this story started…’  However, it is worth noting that this is well targeted: the reader does need to be genuinely engaged in this text-heavy and sometimes wandering  book, with a real attempt to present complex vocabulary and ideas. We are taught, for example, language which draws on indigenous and Latin names for jellyfish as well as common English, and presented with the complexities of jellyfish reproduction. There are young readers who will be captivated.