Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer compiles data gathered from beachcombers all over the world who find items washed ashore from cargo spills at sea. Recovered Nike sneakers and children’s bathtub toys reveal a lot about the motion of the sea, but the motion of the sea also reveals a lot about human civilization. Human debris—shampoo bottles, fishing nets, and other sorts of trash, mostly plastic—gathers in huge masses called garbage patches. These garbage patches ride the currents of the ocean—one is bigger than the state of Alaska. They threaten the well-being of marine life and the ocean itself, and challenge us all—as individuals and as nations—to think carefully about how our actions impact the earth. Loree Griffin Burns is a new contributor to Houghton’s excellent “Scientists in the Field” series, and her dynamic writing is enhanced by ample photographs and other illustrative matter, making for an outstanding photodocumentary. (Ages 8–12)

Aided by an army of beachcombers, oceanographer Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer tracks trash in the name of science. From sneakers to hockey gloves, Curt monitors the watery fate of human-made cargo that has spilled into the ocean. The information he collects is much more than casual news; it is important scientific data. And with careful analysis, Curt, along with a community of scientists, friends, and beachcombers alike, is using his data to understand and protect our ocean.

In engaging text and unforgettable images, readers meet the woman who started it all (Curt's mother!), the computer program that makes sense of his data (nicknamed OSCURS), and several scientists, both on land and on the sea, who are using Curt's discoveries to preserve delicate marine habitats and protect the creatures who live in them. A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book for Nonfiction.