FR EQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT

How did the Oceanology What became of Zoticus de Lesseps?

volume come into existence? The last documentation of Zoticus exists in the form of a
This published version letter reproduced near the end of Oceanology, in which he
reproduces a sea-stained says that he is very ill and suspects the curse of Poseidon as
notebook containing the the cause. We can only assume that he eventually succumbed
purported journal of a boy, to the illness and died, taking any further secrets with
Zoticus de Lesseps, who him. This letter was written to a Mr. Verne, who employed
claims to have been aboard a Zoticus as an assistant for three years following the journey
submarine vessel called the of the Nautilus. Of course, Jules Verne went on to write a
Nautilus under the command novel concerning the adventures of Captain Nemo, Ned,
of a Captain Nemo. This and Professor Arronax — with no mention of Zoticus. This
claim can hardly be credited, book, entitled 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, has always been
given that the journal considered to be fiction, but perhaps, given the discovery of
purports to document events Zoticus’s journal, further investigation is warranted.
in 1863 — events that involve
deep-sea exploration of a type Can a student interested
scarcely possible at the time. in oceanology make a
However, the account makes for captivating reading and career of it?
is of special interest given its authentic appearance and Absolutely! A
accurate descriptions of underwater sites such as the Great beginning oceanologist
Barrier Reef and Mariana Trench (which have been explored may wish to start by
by modern scientists). It also contains a description of the studying Zoticus de
sunken city of Atlantis. Lesseps’s extraordinary
tale of the voyage of the
Atlantis? I’ve heard of that. Nautilus in Oceanology.
When is the next guided tour? Then he or she should
Atlantis was considered in proceed to do research
Zoticus’s time to be a “lost” at a local library or
civilization, as it is today. bookstore or online,
Whether it has ever existed is looking into various
a matter of debate, but some branches of oceanology. Oceanology
historians and archaeologists Marine biology, for instance, by Ferdinand Zoticus de Lesseps
have theories about where it is the study of the plants and edited by E. Hawkins and A. J. Wood
might have been, how animals of the oceans, while various illustrators
it disappeared into the physical oceanography deals 10 1/16 x 1113/16  32 pages
ocean, and whether it is still hidden somewhere, with waves, tides, currents, Age 8 and up 
waiting to be found. Perhaps an oceanologist inspired by light, and sound in the ocean. Grade 3 and up
Zoticus’s story will set out and discover it one day. If so, will Reading additional fictional
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4290-7
he or she reveal its location to the world, or keep it a secret, or true accounts of ocean
$19.99 ($23.00 CAN)
as Captain Nemo did, in order to preserve its beauty, history, encounters will extend a
and treasure? student’s knowledge and interest. Visits to a local aquarium
or seashore or caring for a tank of fish at home are excellent
hands-on practice for careers in the field of oceanology. And
keep an eye on www.OlogyWorld.com for more information.

Available exclusively from Candlewick Press Publishers of Rare and Unusual Books
www.OlogyWorld.com Illustrations copyright © 2009 by Wayne Anderson, Ian Andrew, Gary Blythe, and David Wyatt
 DID YOU KNOW?
• O ne type of deep-sea squid, Taningia dana, is • T he Great Barrier Reef
thought to use bioluminescent light flashes to is the largest coral reef system in
blind and confuse its prey — just as the giant squid the world and has been declared
Zoticus describes flashes lights on its tentacles when a World Heritage Area.
attacking the Nautilus.
• In 2007, fishermen off Antarctica captured a
colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni)
weighing a thousand pounds and
measuring 33 feet — almost as
long as a school bus.

• T he Mariana Trench,
located near Japan, is the
deepest part of the ocean.
It is farther below sea level
• U nderwater volcanoes still exist and are being than Mount Everest is above it!
studied by oceanologists and other scientists.
Currently there are more than five thousand active
• T he writing of Plato contains the only
ancient reference to Atlantis. The story has
volcanoes underwater.
inspired debate about the island’s possible
• A league is really a measure of authenticity for more than two thousand years.
distance rather than depth.

Available exclusively from Candlewick Press Publishers of Rare and Unusual Books
www.OlogyWorld.com Illustrations copyright © 2009 by Wayne Anderson, Ian Andrew, Gary Blythe, and David Wyatt