Part of a series of books asking "I Wonder Why" about anything from reptiles to space to dinosuars, I Wonder Why the Sea is Salty is a beautifully illustrated book with the right blend of humor and factual information. Because of its focus on the ocean, the reader learns about everything from geographic details within the ocean to types of sea life to the interactions people have with the ocean for both enjoyment and occupations. The blend of realistic illustrations with the trademark cartoons found throughout this series (by Tony Kenyon) provide a personalization of various fish and familiar sea animals that delight younger readers even as they provide additional "gee-whiz" information for the person looking for new knowledge. The question/answer format throughout the text allows for the more basic questions about the ocean￯﾿ﾽ"What's it like at the bottom of the sea?"￯﾿ﾽand for its inhabitants￯﾿ﾽand "How do fish swim?" Questions that intrigue include "Which animal is jet-propelled?" and "Where do angels, clowns, and parrots live?" This is a great affordable book in a solid series. 2003, Kingfisher,