Since 1926, Pelican Publishing Company has been committed to publishing books of quality and permanence that enrich the lives of those who read them.
Science and Nature
Discover the fascinating story behind one of the most important changes to nautical navigation in this nonfiction book for young readers. More than 300 years ago, explorers wandered the seas at the mercy of starless nights and stormy weather. They followed the shoreline, navigating by recognizable landmarks and the stars, but often became lost or wrecked on the rocky coast. What they needed to know in order to navigate safely was the longitude of their location, but for that they needed accurate timekeeping. Unfortunately, no accurate source of time measurement at sea existed.
When a thunderous storm in 1992 threw a cargo container filled with bathtub toys overboard into the Pacific Ocean, no one expected the 29,000 plastic toys would help scientists prove that the ocean currents are connected. However, the toys are still popping up today on beaches near and far—some more than 17,000 miles away from the accident at sea. This story gives a fictionalized account of the happening, telling the tale of a flock of rubber ducks as they traveled the globe’s waterways.
Far below the jeweled surface of the oceans, deeper than the sun’s rays can dive, there are fantastical creatures unlike anything seen on land. Deep currents—cold, black, and full of mystery—are home to secretive fellows such as the anglerfish, which uses light as bait, and vampire squid, whose red eyes peer out from a cloak of spiny tentacles as it “flies” through the water. Down in these depths, whale bones become entire cities where palm worms sway. Abyssal residents come from near and far to visit the pages of this book!