A 2018 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students: K-12 (National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council) Introduce your future marine biologist to all of the creatures who live in underwater foliage, and how to count from 1 to 11 in  Seagrass Dreams . Seagrass Dreams is a unique counting book and introduction to marine life that stars animals who make their home in the seagrass . Young children and their parents will love learning to count from 1 to 11 while they also meet a host of marine animals. You'll be introduced to characters such as the toothy great barracuda , the gliding yellow stingray , the bucktooth parrotfish , and the  chocolate chip sea star (not good for adding to cookies). That isn't all though! Seagrass Dreams  will also teach you each animal's common name , scientific name , natural habitat , and a whole lot more! This book is loaded with gorgeous illustrations which add a colorful and engaging element. Seagrass Dreams closes with a list of the common species of seagrasses , their scientific names, and where each can be found. K-Gr 3—Kids will learn that seagrass does far more than just move with the ocean currents. It can protect against erosion, provide a protective habitat and food source for an array of marine creatures, and store carbon, which keeps acid levels from mounting too high. Beginning with one great barracuda, readers are taken through to the number 10, with each number depicting an ocean critter that relies on seagrass, including four dugongs, seven chocolate chip sea stars, and 10 collector urchins. Each spread includes a short description of the creature's relationship to or reliance on seagrass. For example, readers learn that Long Island bay scallops "cling to seagrass blades, holding on by tiny threads. The scallops perch safely, swaying high above the lobsters and snails that want to eat them." The illustrations—a combination of photography, paper models, drawing, printmaking, and digital collage—are intensely colorful and detailed, while evoking a mesmerizing watery environment. At the end, there are additional "Fun Facts," along with a clear close-up photograph of each creature. Also included is a glossary and a world map with a key to indicate where each profiled subject can be found. The author has included a statement from the World Seagrass Association about the importance of maintaining the health of seagrass worldwide. VERDICT A fabulous addition to marine science collections. However, librarians should keep in mind that the benefits and necessity of seagrass takes precedent in the narrative over the counting element.—Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID "One of the most unusual picture books I’ve come across. First, it is nonfiction—it’s about the real world but it’s a part of the real world that is hidden from most people—the meadows of seagrass that form a habitat in the shallow areas of the oceans where sunlight reaches the ocean floor. Second, Hanes’s language is poetic and sophisticated, challenging the listener who is at an age when he or she is open to hearing new words and new meanings...will make a visit to an aquarium a more meaningful experience for both parent and child."--Vicki Cobb - The Huffington Post "While counting up to 10, Hanes vividly describes the features and behaviors of 10 creatures that reside in underwater seagrass meadows....Bonfield creates a sense of watery depth and dimension in her gestural mixed-media images, and an afterword provides greater detail about these creatures." - Publishers Weekly "Younger readers can practice their counting skills while learning about what lives in the seagrass meadows of the ocean in this book by St. Louis author Hanes. Each number highlights a different creature (“One great barracuda,” “Two yellow stingrays”) and is accompanied by Bonfield’s colorful close-ups of the animals." - St. Louis Post-Dispatch A 2018 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students: K-12 (National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council) - NSTA-CBC "A fabulous addition to marine science collections. However, librarians should keep in mind that the benefits and necessity of seagrass takes precedent in the narrative over the counting element" - School Library Journal Kathleen Hanes has received a PhD in Zoology from the University of Florida, where she studied seagrass both in the field and in the laboratory. While researching in the Bahamas, she spent 18 months cutting seagrass into small turtle-size bites to study the effect that reintroducing sea turtles would have on the ecosystem there. Kate currently teaches at Washington University and lives in St. Louis with her family and two cats, Jack and Annie. Chloe Bonfield was born in London but grew up in Wiltshire. She now lives in London and loves the mixture of wilderness and urban craziness. After graduating from Camberwell in 2008, Chloe worked as a practicing illustrator in education