Explore the Salish Sea: A Nature Guide for Kids, by Joseph K. Gaydos & Audrey DeLella Benedict

Recommended for all ages, especially 5th— 8th grades

Put on your virtual flippers, underwater mask and oxygen tank, we’re going for a dive into the Salish Sea to explore all the amazing creatures and sights. Yes, sights. The writing in this book is spellbinding, and it’s surrounded by lots of true-life photographs. These pictures make you feel like you are a scuba diver encountering tremendous sights first hand. Welcome to the Salish Sea.

There is more to this beautiful geography than what you see on the surface. All ages will enjoy and learn a lot from this book, even adults. Take this opportunity to become a nature detective as this book teaches you about the geography, creatures, and cultures around the Salish Sea. Then you’ll have the tools in hand to delve deeper and become a detective to observe and learn even more on your own.

This lovely treasure is a book meant to be shared with friends and family. There will be plenty of oohs and aahs over the facts and pictures revealed on every page. Everyone will appreciate it read aloud, and will point to favorite pictures. Younger kids will grow into the text.

The book has some great every-day, practical suggestions that kids can do to help the environment and creatures in the book.  They can also sign up to join the free Junior Seadoctors that is an online club that provides adventurers ways to interact with the wildlife of the Salish Sea.

Author Joseph K. Gaydos is the chief scientist for the Seadoc Society. This is a program of the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. He is a licensed wildlife veterinarian and has a PhD in wildlife health. Author Audrey DeLella Benedict is the founder and director of Cloud Ridge Naturalists, a nonprofit natural history educational organization. She is a member of the board of the SeaDoc Society. She is also a trustee for the Colorado chapter of the Nature Conservancy, from which she received the prestigious One Conservancy Award for her work in Ecuador.

Learn more about the SeaDoc Society on Orcas Island, and enjoy the fun when you Explore the Salish Sea.

— By Wendy Kendall

Wendy Kendall is a writer, project manager, wedding officiant and volunteer at the Edmonds Library.