The World Below the Brine

Below the brine, the salty waters of the sea, is a wonderland waiting to be explored—its wide array of plants and creatures different but not wholly unlike those that can be found on land, in the world above. Nineteenth-century poet Walt Whitman's classic verse employs the language of his day to express the wonder that is timeless, while the surrealistic imagery of James Christopher Carroll's art inspires readers to dive in for a close look. Ages 10–18 Poetry, 32 pages, 2020 ISBN 978-1-56846-361-2 Reviews Whitman’s poem is set to a lush and stunning illustrated world. While the language of Whitman’s 1860 poem may not be as accessible to children as some other picture-book choices, artist Carroll’s illustrations more than compensate. Each line of the poem is illustrated by one or two double-page spreads that both depict the text literally and also convey the mystery and wonder of the natural world that is at the heart of Whitman’s text. Carroll employs varied techniques from one spread to the next: the ne