I love the illustrations as well as the narrative. This book reinforces that women can pursue their dreams and how women have a place in science and math. I will be purchasing this book for my school library. Thank you for the opportunity to read the ARC.

This is a jewel of a book! I loved the way Jess Keating used lyrical prose to share Marie's story. Even though Marie's dream (to explore the ocean) didn't come true as she thought it would she was able to use her skills in the place she was at to add to the world's knowledge. A great book with themes of persistence, patience, discovery, women in science, women's firsts.

A great introduction to Marie Tharp! Recommended for school libraries!

Such a fantastic book! Ocean Speaks sends a great message, especially to young girls, about following your dreams, working hard, being brave, and being smart. This is a beautiful story about Marie Tharp and her journey to becoming the famous geologist she is known as today. Not only does the story shine, but the illustrations are absolutely beautiful and full of colour that brings everything to life. I love how the book includes a section about Marie Tharp at the end as well as some answers to some of the references throughout the story such as explaining what sonar is and why women weren't welcomed in the field of science during Marie Tharp's time. This is a book that could really spark an interest in any young child to pursue sciences and I think it is such a wonderful story.

Jess Keating has done it again. Every time I get my hands on another of her books, I'm impressed. Marie Tharp is one of those scientists that didn't get her due when she was accomplishing great things, but did start to get recognition long after she deserved it. This book will help readers to recognize the work of this great geologist/cartographer. It might also help readers to recognize the science of plate tectonics. The main text is impressive, as are the illustrations, but if that wasn't enough, the end notes add a whole other layer of depth to the text that is sure to please. I will certainly be making this a piece of my library when it becomes available and other librarians out there would be wise to do the same. Nicely done!

This book is absolutely gorgeous. The art is amazing, and the story lives up to its quality, with an inspiring take on a little-known female scientist's work. Marie Tharp discovered mountains and valleys in the ocean as she plotted out a map of the ocean floor in her office, and even though her male colleagues didn't believe her about the rift that she found, she was right. This is a great book about a woman in a STEM field, and the author's note includes additional details about how huge her discovery was, and how it went against accepted ideas in the field of geology.

I am incredibly impressed with this picture book biography. Every element of it is ideal, from the radiant art, to the quality of the writing, to the child-friendly science explanations. I also appreciate how the book addresses the sexist limitations that Marie Tharp dealt with in her career without making her story sound like gloom and doom. It celebrates her for what she did accomplish, and for how she rose above people's expectations. Even though her male colleagues relegated her to the less glamorous elements of the job, it was there where she made her discovery, and this is an inspiring story of someone who was passionate about their work and made a difference even without the applause that they deserved.

An excellent picture book biography of a famous scientist named Marie Tharp, who mapped The Atlantic Ocean floor in a time when women were practically barred from the field. Her findings were openly ridiculed and subjected to close scrutiny, but in the end, she was vindicated as having discovered and mapped the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. These findings were also critical in supporting the idea of tectonic plate theory.

The subject is interesting, the writing is warm and engaging, and the pictures are lovely.

One remark: I read this book with my 7 year old daughter, who is avidly interested in marine biology, history, and women in those fields. She wished there had been more detail about Marie's childhood life. I can see her point, as the book being written for children, children naturally have a way of relating to adults through stories of their childhood.

However, we give this book a solid 4 stars because we thoroughly enjoyed it and feel it will appeal to any child (or adult!) interested in: marine biology, geology, geography, history, or women in science.

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.*

As a child, I loved picture books and I loved learning. My school library rarely ever had non-fiction picture books, so I was a very sad kid. I mostly read fictional stories. As an adult, I absolutely LOVE coming across non-fiction, children's picture books. Nothing excites my inner child more!

Ocean Speaks by Jess Keating introduces kids to Marie Tharp, an oceanographic cartographer. This exciting lady mapped the Atlantic Ocean's floor! As a child, she was quite the adventurer and was very curious. As a very smart lady, she studied science and math and became quite the scientist! As she worked hard, she noticed something other people didn't... And just like that, a living legend was born!

This book is SO COOL. I love books like this - strong women, smart women and cool scientific discoveries! I am SO impressed. Bold, italicize and underline that!

At the end of this book, there is also more information about Marie and her life, as well as some interesting educational points about geology, oceans and being a scientist. AND REFERENCES! Ah, I'm a girl who loves references.

The illustrations are absolutely GORGEOUS and whisked me away in this wonderful story. Katie Hickey's art is just marvelous! I'm totally impressed and blown away. It's the type of whimsy I want in a children's picture book, fiction or non-fiction.

Five out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tundra Books and Penguin Random House Canada for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This book is a biography about the life of Maria Tharp. While her life was short she accomplished much. The story is great but the illustrations are simply amazing and breath taking.

Ocean Speaks is the story of Marie Tharp and her accomplishments for science. The illustrations in this book are magical, and detailed in a way that make you feel like you are in the story. The story itself has some themes and words that may be harder for some younger readers to understand, however there is an authors note and further explanation at the end of the book that help teach on those subjects. Ocean Speaks is an intriguing story on how one woman adventured despite the setbacks due to her gender. This is a great read to promote feminism.

Beautifully illustrated, inspirational book!

The illustrations in this book are absolutely stunning! They may be my favorite illustrations I have ever seen! The colors are beautiful. The complexity of each picture is amazing. And yet they are so child-friendly! So well done and gorgeous!

I also loved the subject of this book and its encouraging message for girls! You can be whatever you want to be! It also encourages girls (and boys) to learn about science and the world around them. Loved it!

This was an interesting book that wasn't quite what I expected and that was quite refreshing. Furthermore this refreshing aspect continued on throughout the book while providing quite an insightful read.

"Ocean Speaks" explores in brief the life of Maria Tharp and how the challenges in her life instead of grounding her opened up another door. Although there is a bit of a feminist push it isn't like other feminist books that allow the issue to take control, smother the story and make the woman look even more of a victim of her circumstances rather than educating the reader.

Instead this book explores how much of a unique individual that Maria was and how her interests made her quite a different person than others that she was suppose to be like. Furthermore every time the same obstacle came up she didn't let it crush her over and over again but rose to meet the challenges, which led to her success.

At the same time the writing is simple, proseful and allows the reader to explore the ocean just as Maria did. But it is also an exploration of facing human trials, of making opportunities out of your restrictions while standing your ground when you know that you are right.

Paired with the beautiful illustrations this is one book that would make for a great read for any science class or even for those who wants their children to know more about female scientists who have left their mark on the world.

***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review***

Much like Shark Lady, Ocean Speaks tells the story of an untold woman who made glorious discoveries. Any biography about a woman who tried to overturn a man's world, is a definite read for me! Keating always does an amazing job of telling the full story in a way that holds the reader's attention and keeps them engaged. Learning about Mary and her discovers and overcoming what other's thought of her, was a perfect read for me.

Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharpe Revealed the Ocean’s Biggest Secret, written by Jess Keating and illustrated by Katie Hickey, is a lovely simplified and concise retelling of Tharpe’s early life and then her discovery of the great ocean rift. The story continues with how her findings were at first dismissed and then moves to how she was finally proven right and so came (albeit too slowly) into her well-deserved honors.

The story begins with a young Marie on the beach, with the ocean “stretched out before her, like a big blue mystery.” It’s a lovely opening in the way it immediately presents her sense of curiosity and the world’s wonder, and the simple illustration is equally lovely. We’re introduced to her love of science and the natural world, inspired by her father, and then we get some nicely wry moments where she’s forced to give up science for the more “appropriate” art, which we’re told in deadpan tone she “did not for long.” Thanks to the war, Marie is able to study science and we get a great image of her on a stepladder filling in a blackboard with all sorts of math and science.

Unfortunately, sexism rears its head again, and she’s prevented from going out on research trips because “women were considered bad luck on ships.” When the data starts coming in, however, and she had to “plot every point on paper . . . She had found another way to follow her dream. With her map, she could be an explorer after all.” Here we get a great juxtaposition of images. The first presents the hard work, discipline, and perhaps even tedium, as we see her bent over the end of a lengthy (and I mean lengthy) map painstakingly plotting points, while behind her lies box upon box upon box of more data to input. But then the next few pages turn whimsically lyrical in both image and language as we get illustrations of various metaphorical journeys of imagination, such as her sailing “through reams of smooth paper” and swimming “through bottles of pitch-black ink,” until she’s finally floating across a darkly beautiful (blacks and blues and yellows) image of the ocean floor with her grid lines in the background. This section alone is well worth the price of entry.

And then it’s back into the harsh light (some stark white background help convey this) of the real world, when her map’s revelation of a great rift valley and tall undersea mountains was dismissed by her supervisor as “silly girl-talk) and others, including the great sea explorer Jacques Cousteau, who sent down a camera to prove her wrong. Instead, he confirmed her findings. The final image is of Marie in the prow of an ocean vessel, living her dream for real.

The text is simple and rhythmic, always clear. We’re given enough information to get a sense of her curiosity and persistence, of the battles she had to fight against sexism. Meanwhile, the images are a perfect complement to the words.

An excellent picture book.

Ocean Speaks by Jess Keating, illustrated by Katie Hickey, is a great example of what a picture book biography should be.

With a beautiful and fun rhythm, Keating tells the story of Marie Tharp, a brilliant scientist who changed the ways we think about the world and about the secrets that lie beneath the ocean. Tharp's life and work are presented in a way that is easy to understand and relate to, and the science is easy to follow. The illustrations are lively and vibrant, without being overwhelming, and they help bring the story to life for readers. The author's note and Q&A at the end is a great touch for curious kids looking to know more--I know I would have loved this section as a kid, especially since it is so accessible (as so many author's notes in these types of books almost feel like they're directed more at curious parents and caregivers).

I would definitely recommend this for any kids interested in science, the ocean, and history.

I love non fiction picture books. I really liked the artwork in this book, especially the lab scene on page four. I thought this book did a good job of balancing fact with awareness of audience. I also love books that talk about pioneering women in STEM, and how they fought to be a part of group that didn't want to accept them due to their gender so that girls and boys today can grow up to be whatever they want to be.

Ocean Speaks begins when cartographer Marie Tharp is just a curious young girl always exploring with her father during a time when women not expected to become "scientists or explorers," but artist and delicate young ladies. Once the war began, she got her chance to do what she enjoyed by working in a laboratory, yet still could not embark on the ship voyages (bad luck). Jess Keating poetically shares Marie's journey from a young girl to the woman who helped discovered the movement of tectonic plates in the bottom of the ocean. Katie Hickey creates amazing watercolor and pencil illustrations that simulate the flow of the story and the ocean. Back matter is included such as the Author's Note explaining a little more about Marie Tharp, cartography, tectonic plates. Questions with their answers and Further resources for reading are also included. a wonderful pairing with Dan Yaccarino's The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Coustoeau (2009).

While I am glad that so many women are getting recognition for the work they did in the bad old days, I am also annoyed that it has taken so long for them to be recognized.

This is the story about the woman who discovered that the ocean is not flat, beneath the waters, but has ridges, and in fact has mountains higher than mountains on land. She did this all from her desk, since women weren't allowed on ships.

<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ocean-speaks.png" alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5619" />

The picture book is written in simple terms, and even talked about how you too can become a geologist.

Such a good biography to add to any collection.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Can't decide which I enjoyed more... the text or the illustrations! Such a inspiring story for youngsters to learn about overcoming challenges with a scientific spin.

This children's book has absolutely beautiful art and an inspiring true story, and it teaches kids about the ocean. It tells the story of Marie Tharp and how she taught us about the ocean despite the sexism that didn't allow her to follow her dreams as a scientist the way she wanted to (by going to sea with her male colleagues). More sexism kept her in the office plotting the maps that they sent back and more sexism led to those colleagues saying she must be wrong when she revealed what she'd discovered. Yet more sexism led to Jacques Cousteau himself leading an expedition just to prove her wrong (which proved her right). It also amazingly stays positive and uplifting despite the reality of how its heroine was treated.

This is just a fantastic book as a biography, as a STEM book, as an intro to sonar and oceanography, and in every way. The art is worthy of framing. Did I mention I love this book? Highly recommended.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

I loved learning about Marie and her story. This is absolutely a story I would love to have in my classroom library and recommend to other teachers to include in theirs. I enjoyed the illustrations as well as the engaging way it was told.