Hello Reader,

Ready for another Fishy Facts & Fables? It's where faith, science, and storytelling come together!

I’m Tricia Goyer, a homeschooling mom of ten, a writer, and a lifelong learner. And I’m thrilled to have written a science storybook with my amazing co-author, Sherri Seligson—a marine biologist, curriculum writer, and homeschool mom of four. Together, we created Wonders of the Ocean Realm, a book filled with incredible true-to-life stories about five fascinating sea creatures.

Last time, we introduced you to Astrid the Sea Star, and today, we’re diving deep to meet Maximus, the Peacock Mantis Shrimp—one of the ocean’s most incredible and surprisingly powerful creatures!

You can watch the video here:​

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​Meet Maximus: The Superhero of the Sea

When we selected creatures for Wonders of the Ocean Realm, we wanted to highlight some of the ocean's lesser-known but truly amazing animals. That’s how we discovered the peacock mantis shrimp—a tiny but mighty powerhouse that few people know about.

At first glance, Maximus may look like a beautiful rainbow-colored shrimp, but don’t let his small size fool you—he’s one of the most powerful hunters in the ocean! Here’s what makes him so unique:

Super Speed: Maximus throws punches faster than a speeding bullet—literally!

Super Strength: His punch is so powerful that it can break aquarium glass and crack open the shells of crabs and snails with ease.

Super Vision: Maximus has the most advanced eyesight in the animal kingdom. While humans have three color receptors in our eyes (red, blue, and green), Maximus has twelve—allowing him to see colors that we can’t even imagine, including ultraviolet and polarized light!

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Bringing Maximus to Life Through Storytelling

One of the things that makes Wonders of the Ocean Realm special is that we don’t just list facts—we tell stories! We bring these incredible creatures to life by weaving real science into exciting adventures that engage young readers.

In writing this scene, I used a fun literary technique called onomatopoeia—words that sound like the action they describe, like smash, crack, and plop! This makes the story more immersive and exciting for kids.

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Science + Faith

Designed for a Purpose

Maximus may be small, but he is mighty and unique—just like each of us! The Bible reminds us in 1 Corinthians 1:27:

"God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."

Even though the mantis shrimp might seem like just a tiny creature in the vast ocean, God gave him amazing abilities that set him apart. In the same way, each of us is designed with special gifts and talents that God wants us to use for His purpose!
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📚 Grab your copy of Wonders of the Ocean Realm ➡️ https://amzn.to/4aJGzVj

Also, what is your favorite ocean creature? I'd love to hear!

And ... if you got to choose, what book would you want us to do next? Artic? Rainforest? Desert? Inquiring minds want to know! (Okay, our editors, but they have inquiring minds!)

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