Fourteen New Coastal Kids’ Books to Entertain and Inspire Readers of All Ages

This season’s selections feature guessing games, solutions to plastic pollution, and some gnarly narwhals.

Nov 25, 2021 | 2,900 words, about 15 minutes

Checkpoints, Machine Guns, and Fences: This Pakistani Port Is Not for the People

A massive port project—part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative—is more military base than port, further disenfranchising people in a region with a history of political tension and violence.

Nov 23, 2021 | 2,600 words, about 13 minutes

Why Shipping Shit Is a Good Idea

Ancient cultures knew the value of their excrement. Given the current environmental emergencies, it’s time we resurrect their wisdom.

Nov 16, 2021 | 2,100 words, about 10 minutes

What Whale Barnacles Know

For generations, these hitchhikers have been recording details about their hosts and their ocean home.

Nov 9, 2021 | 4,400 words, about 22 minutes

Are We on the Verge of Chatting with Whales?

An ambitious project is attempting to interpret sperm whale clicks with artificial intelligence, then talk back to them.

Oct 26, 2021 | 2,400 words, about 12 minutes

Fishery Closures and the Ghosts of Past Mistakes

Canada is closing fisheries and buying back licenses. Will this latest scheme save salmon or sink fishers?

Oct 21, 2021 | 2,200 words, about 11 minutes

Stitching Hope

In the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami, a simple doll became a powerful symbol of healing in coastal India and beyond.

Oct 19, 2021 | 2,800 words, about 14 minutes

Raising Baby Sharks from the Dead

Biologists are rescuing baby sharks and skates from recently caught females, giving the unborn a chance at survival.

Oct 5, 2021 | 4,100 words, about 21 minutes