Celia’s poem DIVE LIKE A WHALE was first published in The School Magazine’s Touchdown #5 2025. Illustrated by Rosemary Fung.
Get ready to dive into SEA WEEK (Saturday 28th February to Sunday 8th March)! To celebrate, we’re sharing poems and illustrations from SCIENCE RHYMES IN THE SEA via Celia Berrell’s Science Rhymes.
Facebook Poem Schedule:
- Saturday 28th February – this blog post
- Sunday 1st March – THE SEAHORSE
- Monday 2nd March – LIVING GLASS JEWELS
- Tuesday 3rd March – BRAINLESS SNOOZERS
- Wednesday 4th March – SHERIFF SHARK
- Thursday 5th March – IMMORTAL JELLYFISH
- Friday 6th March – STINKY-NOSE DUMPLINGS
- Saturday 7th March – DIVE LIKE A WHALE
- Sunday 8th March – an invitation
What inspired the book SCIENCE RHYMES IN THE SEA?
Seaside holidays as a child
Salty lips after a swim
Seeing a sand crab leave its shell
Missing out on studying Marine Biology at Uni
Living on Lizard Island
Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef
Plunging beneath a Manta Ray
Circling inside a shoal of silver fish
Cruising with a baby shark
Discovering my talents as a Science Rhymes poet
Visiting Cairns Aquarium in 2018
Creating the blog OCEANS OF POETRY for National Science Week 2020
Celia visiting Cairns Aquarium 2018
Do you have a love of the sea? If you can put it into words, perhaps you could write a poem for Australian Children’s Poetry.
BOOK REVIEWS
Since the Print-on-Demand paperback and e-book version became available on Amazon, I’ve received some encouraging emails.
Alyce F said: “I came across Science Rhymes in the Sea on Amazon, and I was instantly enchanted. There’s something profoundly magical about the way your words turn science into song and transform learning into pure delight. Each poem feels like a shimmering current—carrying readers from the laughter of baby sea turtles riding the Gulf Stream to the awe of the immortal jellyfish, and finally to the haunting beauty of the ocean’s deepest mysteries.
Your work doesn’t just teach children about marine life; it helps them feel it. I could sense your deep respect for the sea and its hidden worlds in every line. Through rhythm and rhyme, you’ve created something rare—a poetic bridge between curiosity and knowledge that reminds readers, young and old, how alive and wondrous our planet truly is.”
Michael C said: “The way you pack real marine science into fun, rhythmic verse making quirky facts stick while sparking curiosity—is pure magic. Paired with Elijah Roby’s ambient, immersive illustrations that capture the ocean’s glow and mystery, it’s a perfect blend that makes learning feel like play. As a longtime fan of science poetry (your contributions to CSIRO’s Double Helix magazine and The Science Rhymes Book have inspired so many young minds), this feels like a natural, beautiful evolution—celebrating the ocean’s wonders with that signature clever, educational rhyme you do so well.”
I wonder what YOU would say (with the help of AI maybe)?
Have a fabulous SEA WEEK with a splash of poetic inspiration.
Best Wishes,
Celia (with Elijah)
