Synopses & Reviews
What has the whiskers of a walrus, the eyes of a mole, the wrinkles of an elephant, the tail of a beaver, and the gentle nature of a sloth? A slow-moving, water-loving, plant-eating, gentle giant called a manatee. The manatee has been swimming the oceans for ages. But today this ancient animal faces an uncertain future. In this Society of School Librarians International Honor Book, Stephen Swinburne takes young readers into the underwater world of manatees as he assists marine biologists who monitor the health of manatees in Homosassa Springs, Florida, and snorkels in the Crystal River with a dozen fourth-graders to observe manatees in the wild.
Review
"Up-to-date and informative, this will be a welcome addition to the shelf of information on endangered species in any library." --Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Swinburne weaves a great deal of information into his personal narrative, and his enthusiastic descriptions of his experiences with the animals are contagious and will draw children right into the subject, as will the many large color photos of manatees and researchers. . . . [An] obvious choice for middle-grade science units." --Booklist
About the Author
Stephen Swinburne is the author of many books, including Saving Manatees, a Society of School Librarians International Honor Book, and Wiff and Dirty George: The Z.E.B.R.A. Incident. He lives in South Londonderry, Vermont.