  | Else B. in the sea : the woman who painted the wonders of the deep Author: Harvey, Jeanne Walker | |
| Price: $24.48 | ||
Summary:
Else Bostelmann donned a red swimsuit and a copper diving helmet and, with paints and brushes in hand, descended into the choppy turquoise sea off the coast of Bermuda. It was 1930, and few had ventured deep into the sea before. She painted never-before-seen deep-sea creatures and worked with world-renowned scientist William Beebe to re-create the fascinating world that existed underneath the waves.
| Illustrator: | Stacey, Melodie |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (-) (04/15/24)
Booklist (+) (06/01/24)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 06/01/2024 *Starred Review* This immersive picture-book biography stars Else Bostelmann, who revolutionized marine biology and brought mysterious sea creatures to public view by doing paintings of them—at six fathoms deep in the ocean itself. In the summer of 1930, Else B., as she’s called in this book, plunged into the Atlantic from over the side of a small boat off Bermuda, outfitted only with a primitive metal diving helmet, an air hose, and a red bathing suit. Readers will feel as if they have taken the plunge, too, with the first section concentrating on Bostelmann's physical sensations as she goes deeper and deeper, including how her ears throb from the pressure, how soft the sand at the bottom feels, and how weightlessness makes her feel as if she’s flying. The big question for Bostelmann (and the reader) is, How can she paint in the ocean? Her ever-expanding solutions from subsequent dives are fascinating and a testament to her resilience. The illustrations, done with gouache, watercolor, pastels, and colored pencil, will hook readers, both with the drama of Bostelmann’s dives and with the delicious creepiness of some of the sea creatures, especially the glow-in-the dark ones, which look like aliens with bulging eyes, huge tentacles, and protruding fangs. A hugely appealing story, rounded nicely by further information given in the concluding author’s note. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.
