Else B. in the Sea - by Jeanne Walker Harvey (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Else Bostelmann donned a red swimsuit and a copper diving helmet and, with paints and brushes in hand, descended into the choppy turquoise sea off the coast of Bermuda. It was 1930, and few had ventured deep into the sea before. She discovered a fairyland six fathoms below the surface-fantastic coral castles, glittering sunbeams, swaying sea plumes, and schools of fish. Deep under the water, Else painted these never-before-seen deep-sea creatures. Back on land, Else worked with world-renowned scientist William Beebe to re-create the fascinating world that existed underneath the waves. It was a daring and glamorous adventure, and a dream come true for Else, who shared this new, unfathomable world with humankind"--

Book Synopsis

Else B. in the Sea is a poetic picture book biography honoring a daring and pioneering woman artist that combines themes of art and science.

Else Bostelmann donned a red swimsuit and a copper diving helmet and, with paints and brushes in hand, descended into the choppy turquoise sea off the coast of Bermuda.

It was 1930, and few had ventured deep into the sea before. She discovered a fairyland six fathoms below the surface--fantastic coral castles, glittering sunbeams, swaying sea plumes, and slender purple sea fans. And fish! Flashy silverfish, puckering blue parrotfish, iridescent jellyfish.

Else painted under the sea! She painted what she saw with her own eyes, and, back on land, she painted the never-before-seen deep-sea creatures described by world-renowned scientist William Beebe on his momentous 1930s bathysphere expeditions for the New York Zoological Society's Department of Tropical Research.

It was a daring and glamorous adventure and a dream come true for Else B., who shared this new, unfathomable world with humankind.

"A hugely appealing story," said Booklist in a starred review of this lovely picture book biography from author Jeanne Walker Harvey and illustrator Melodie Stacey. "Readers will feel as if they have taken the plunge, too."

Review Quotes

***STARRED REVIEW***
"Readers will feel as if they have taken the plunge, too...Her ever-expanding solutions from subsequent dives are fascinating and a testament to her resilience. The illustrations...will hook readers, both with the drama of Else's dives and with the delicious creepiness of some of the sea creatures...A hugely appealing story"--Booklist

"[D]azzling and convey[s] how extraordinary undersea life is. A little-known female artist receives well-deserved attention."--Kirkus

About the Author

Jeanne Walker Harvey is the author of several picture books, including Boats on the Bay, as well as the well-received picture book biographies Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas and Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines. She lives in Sonoma, California. Melodie Stacey is a fine artist and illustrator whose work can be found in the picture book Beautiful Useful Things. She lives in Brighton, United Kingdom.