Reads for Manatee Awareness
November is Manatee Awareness Month!
Let’s celebrate Florida’s beloved marine mammal with these books!
Manatee summer
Peter and his best friend, Tommy, have a goal for their last summer before middle school: finish their Discovery Journal, a catalog of the wildlife around their Florida town. When they spot a manatee in a canal, Peter knows they’ve found something special–and when the manatee is injured by a boat, something to protect! As Peter joins the fight to save Florida manatees, he also finds himself taking care of his ailing grandfather and facing an unwelcome surprise that jeopardizes his friendship with Tommy. Soon Peter is adrift, navigating shifting tides and realizing that he has as much to discover about himself as he does about the world around him.
Sam, the sea cow
Sam is called a sea cow because that’s what he looks like–a big cow grazing in the ocean. He is also called a manatee. Readers are introduced to Sam when he is just hours old–though already forty pounds!–and watch him grow up. Combined with Sam’s touching big adventure are numerous fun facts about manatees.
This is a sea cow
When an imaginative second-grader writes a school report about sea cows, the subject is not happy with her portrayal. Sea Cow–or Manatee, as she prefers to be called–comes to life on the pages of the report and decides to defend herself against unflattering comparisons to set the record straight with fascinating facts about manatees.
Oceanarium
This stunning new offering from the Welcome to the Museum series guides readers around the world’s oceans, from sandy shorelines to the darkest depths. Learn about the ocean’s most fascinating animals, including giant whale sharks, tiny tropical fish, and majestic manatees, among many others. With expert text by marine biologist Loveday Trinick and stunning illustrations by Teagan White, travel the world from frozen Arctic seas to shimmering coral reefs, and learn why it is so important that we protect our oceans.
Wildlife of Florida’s springs: an illustrated field guide to over 150 species
Florida is home to no fewer than 700 freshwater springs, more than any place in the world! From the famed manatee to the obscure freshwater jellyfish, the springs provide sustenance to an abundance of wild, marine and insect life. This beautiful guide features over 150 species, over 130 original illustrations, and includes listings of commonly and not-so-commonly encountered “critters” living in and near Florida’s springs.
The Florida manatee: biology And conservation
In the field of marine biology, there is a uniqueness to manatee research, and in this book, Roger Reep and Robert Bonde make clear both its rewards and challenges. Veteran researchers with 45 years’ experience between them, they have created an instantly engaging, accessible tale of this mysterious creature for professionals and interested lay people alike.
