Manfish: a story of Jacques Cousteau

Manfish: a story of Jacques Cousteau	Chronicle Books LLC
Written by Jennifer Berne Illustrated by Eric Puybaret	2008
Biography	40 pages
Reading Level ages 4-8

Summary

Ever since Jacques was a little boy, he loved the water. He wondered why some things floated and others sank, how a man said he could breathe underwater through a tube. Jacques loved mechanics and how things fit together, he even made a crane from all the drawings he studied. He was given a video camera by saving his allowance. He made movies about everyone, with himself as the star. He became fascinated with the underwater world seen through a pair of borrowed goggles. With his two friends, Philippe and Didi, he swam under the surface and explored the new exciting world. But he didn’t want to stay down for just one breath; he wanted to say down as long as he could. He built an aqualung that strapped onto his back and allowed him to breathe air while being with the fish. He had become a fish just like them. The three friends chartered a boat, Calypso, and set off to explore more of the underwater world. Jacques made a watertight case for his camera and took it down beneath the water and shared his experiences with all the people above on land. After years of traveling the oceans and spreading his films around the world, Jacques began to see something wrong. The ocean was being polluted by people. Many areas were unfit for fish or even plants to live anymore. Jacques knew he could do something to show what was happening. He began to make movies about the oceans to warn people what they were doing to the oceans. He gave many speeches and spoke with important people to get them involved with cleaning up the oceans and helping it be better for their children. Jacques wanted everyone to have the opportunity he had in exploring and coming to love the sea as he did.

Reaction

I loved the illustrations. There is a page that folds out and read vertical to show all different fish and plants he was as he dove deeper. The colors are bright and detailed. The first page is interesting as well. The writing is in waves that become smaller and smaller until they lead to Jacques with his air tank on.

Potential Problems

The only problem I had with this book was that it was factual without giving any more details than it needed to. It was a great introduction to Jacques Cousteau, but I felt that it could have mentioned more details of his life. It also has an environmental end that might go against some parent’s views.

Recommendations

I would recommend this book to students interested in ocean exploration and who invented the first portable underwater breathing apparatus.