LONG BEACH, CA — “Soleil the Sea Lion Explores the Green Port,” a new children’s book highlighting environmental issues, was released in early March by the Port of Long Beach.
The book, which was written by Port Media Relations Manager Art Marroquin and illustrated by Long Beach artist Michelle Dinh, highlights the port’s environmental achievements and its ongoing commitment to sustainable operations.
“Through the eyes of Soleil the Sea Lion, young readers can learn how far we’ve come in fulfilling our Green Port promise of a cleaner harbor through air, water and habitat restoration programs,” Port of Long Beach CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba explained in a statement upon the book’s March 3 release.
Coinciding with Read Across America Week, the book was introduced to students during an assembly at Birney Elementary School in Long Beach. Copies are also available in elementary and K-8 school libraries across the Long Beach Unified School District, according to port officials.
The story is aimed at third-graders and follows a fictional sea lion named Soleil who wants to meet friends also living in the ocean.
When the port enacts several measures to enhance water and air quality, Soleil develops friendships with marine mammals, birds and other sea creatures gradually returning to the harbor.
“This book is a fun and effective way to share our environmental success story with our younger residents and their families,” Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners President Frank Colonna said.
The return of sea life represented in the book is based on biological studies measuring the harbor’s health. A recent San Pedro Bay ports complex-wide study identified 1,000 species of fish, birds, invertebrates and marine mammals, a 60% increase since 2000.
The port produced an initial 2,500 copies of the book for local schools and community events. Additional copies are expected to be printed in Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog, and plans are underway to create online and audio versions, the port said.
Distribution of the book is currently limited to port events and LBUSD libraries, but the port has said that additional opportunities for obtaining copies would be announced “soon.”