Fourteen Ways of Looking at Jellyfish, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2026. $26.99 ages 8 and up

 

"XII.
By the numbers.
Nearly four thousand jellyfish species;
only fifty with venom deadly to humans. 

Bodies 95 percent water. 
Lifespans from a few weeks
to eighteen months. 
One mouth serves two purposes:
eating food and expelling poop. 
Before you kiss a jellyfish, think twice."

Here are 14 Roman numeral numbered poems that explore the wonder of these ancient ocean dwellers in every possible way: history, biology and even mythology. The poetry is remarkable from first to last entry, sharing facts through rhythmic language that mirrors the ways jellyfish move and live in their ocean home. About the only things I thought I knew about the jellyfish were what they look like and how dangerous they are. I had no idea about their names, their astonishing and beautiful forms, or that they date back to before the dinosaurs. All that by number III!

Moving from one exceptional spread to the next, I quickly discovered there is much I didn't know. Now, I do. Bioluminescence glows through them in numerous colors; in the dark they appear blue, violet, yellow, and red. Scientific classifications are as varied as their shapes. Ms. Weatherford suggests that instead of trying to remember all that, it's okay to 'just call them jellies'. I will take her advice. The fact that they are made of nerve bundles helps to explain the lack of other organs and bones. 

The life cycle is made clear for young readers, although it differs at times and the results of a boom in the births can end up with there being too many in one place with no room for all; causing them to wash ashore to their certain demise. While I have great admiration for every Bagram Ibatoulline 'watercolor, acrylic gouache, pen, pencil, colored paper and digital tools' work of art, I found myself poring over the accompanying image for this poem. A large jelly invites rapt attention from numerous ocean creatures with a detailed drawing of the jellyfish life cycle. It's quite wonderful! 

Even more impressive is how the artist shifts from one style to another to offer perspective for the variety in the poems presented. IX describes the hugeness of two jellyfish in terms of length and size; the image created allows readers to compare both to a nearby diver. Graphic panels are sharply diagonal to show the danger for a child stung by a jellyfish and the pain felt before transfer in an ambulance. 

Each spread shows a different way to consider the jellyfish, both narrative and illustrative. The poems speak to the wonders of learning about something elusive and little known to most people. Each spread is a surprise to its readers as shown through the careful observation of the artist. It is sure to inspire awe in readers and listeners. This tribute to jellyfish is exactly the book I would love to share in classrooms for years to come. 

A bibliography and further resources close this sensational collaboration.