New Children's Book Helps Kids Cope With Trauma of Algal Bloom

Just in time for the new school year, Scholastic Press announced last week that they will be releasing a book, Why Is The Beach RED?--the first in a new series of titles dedicated to calmly educating children about marine catastrophes. The book promises to teach children about the terrifyingly bright accumulation of dinoflagellates in coastal areas, known colloquially as "red tide." The author, Samuel Peters, said that the idea came to him one day when he took his daughter to the beach at red tide and she became perturbed by the color of the water. "She kept crying and crying," Peters said, "she screamed 'Daddy, daddy, why is the water bleeding?!' It was that moment that I knew something had to be done -- not just to help my daughter, but to assist every parent who feels helpless when discussing marine disasters with their children."

Peters' book explains in friendly, non-threatening language not only how red tide is formed, but also the environmental impact of the phenomenon on local wildlife. "The idea is to teach kids that it's not their fault," Peters says. The book even includes ideas on how to divert your child's attention away from the catastrophe, such as building sandcastles far from the shore or buying them a corn dog at the pier. Scholastic promises that other titles in the series, such as Why Is The Seagull Covered in OIL? and Why Can't I Drink BLACK Water?, will appear in bookstores this fall.