November 1, 2016
K-Gr 2-Gorgeous close-up photographs adorn the pages of this series, allowing the various textures of the different creatures and their underwater habitats to be brought to life. Simple text (two or three sentences per page) describes each of the animals, offering up very basic information such as life span, habitat, eating habits, and self-defense. Critical thinking questions are peppered throughout the text, asking readers to consider, for instance, why rays might swim in groups or how sharks' teeth help them hunt. Beginning readers will find these titles interesting and browsable, but budding researchers will need to look elsewhere for more depth.
Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
March 1, 2017
Preschool-G Young readers plunge beneath the waves in the photo-rich volumes of the Bumba Books: I See Ocean Animals series. Each book introduces an individual sea creature, walking readers through its defining physical features (with a labeled photograph); how it moves, hunts, and eats; what its young are called; and, if applicable, the name of its social group (pod, bloom, etc.). Each spread features a large, crisp photo on one page and a few simple sentences against a brightly colored background on the other. Dolphin! highlights the playful nature of these mammals and how they use clicks and whistles to help them hunt. The large text size and picture glossary make this series suitable for newly independent readers, and scattered question bubbles prompt kids to think critically. Though it's stated that there are many kinds of each animal, no specific species are mentioned, keeping the information very general in these attractive overviews.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2017
This breezy but overly broad introduction to dolphins contains colorful layouts and close-up photographs to enhance simple descriptions of dolphins' appearance, behavior, life cycle, and habitat. Special attention is given to their mammalian characteristics (e.g., breathing air, giving live birth). Critical thinking questions scattered throughout provide the option for a more interactive reading experience. A basic anatomy chart is appended. Reading list. Glos., ind.
(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)