This is a good read-aloud for grades 1 and 2 as part of a unit on the oceans. It is fact-filled and age-appropriate. The book has beautiful illustrations. ( )

Fictional story with a number of nonfiction facts mixed in to give the story of a dolphins life from birth to becoming an adult. Colorful illustrations show images of dolphins interacting with their mother and their dolphin friends.

Genre: Non-Fiction

I would use this book to...
1. teach students about the feature of quick facts that many informational books have.
2. teach students about indexes and how to use them.

Review: "Dolphin Baby!" is a good example of an informational book because it includes quick facts, an index to help students easily find what they are looking for.

Genre or type of Picture book: Concept, Easy Reader Recommended for: Nursery- Primary

Dolphin Baby, by Nicola Davies, is an easy-reader book for young kids. It is both a concept book and tells a story of the life of dolphins. The illustrations done by, Brita Granstrom, in acrylic on the cover and throughout the book are captivatingly beautiful. The deep blues, convey the depth and the mystery of the ocean. All audiences will gravitate towards this book for the imagery and illustrations. However, the book lacks intrigue, the text reads like an encyclopedia, which might lose young audiences, and old audiences for that matter. I feel that the book would be a stronger resource, if readers paraphrased the text and turned the book into more of a engaging story.

Reading Level: Primary
Genre: Nonfiction - Informational

Summary: This book tells the story of a baby dolphin and what he learns as he grows older. His mother shows him how to survive and to hunt and they can communicate with each other using clicking sounds.