Petit Dauphin

Smithsonian's Oceanic Collection

by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

Little Dolphin learns to speak, to hunt mullet, and to frolic with seaweed. But can this bottlenose baby fend off a shark attack?

Genres: Animals, Picture Books, Fiction, Childrens, Education

31 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1994

About the author

Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld is the award-winning author of more than sixty books for children, including DINOSAUR TRACKS, "a great choice for even the most discriminating dinophiles" (School Library Journal); DID DINOSAURS HAVE FEATHERS?, a Children's Book of the Month Club selection, described as "fascinating" by Kirkus Reviews; and DINOSAURS BIG AND SMALL, a 2003 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Book Award winner.

When she's not reading, researching, writing, or editing, Kathleen loves to spend her free time exploring, doing fieldwork, and preparing fossils for her local natural history museums.

Reviews

[Gabriela Cabello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:
Little Dolphin is born as he endures his first day of life in the ocean, experiencing life and its challenges under the loving care and protection of his mother, nanny and his friends.

Review:
The beautiful water color illustrations and onomatopoeia work together to enhance the reader's experience of the ocean and the dolphins and how they live their life everyday.

Other Books:
"Dolphins" by Vanessa Morales
This book is another informational text that has ABC facts about dolphins that students can use to further develop their knowledge about dolphins.

"Some of the grown ups fall asleep too, but they each keep one eye open, ever alert for danger. Tomorrow another day begins. Little Dolphin will awaken with is mother, nanny and his friends at his side. They will be there for him always, protecting him, and teaching him for each new day of grooming."

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young dolphin fans will enjoy this exciting nature story featuring a newborn dolphin experiencing life in a pod and learning how to be a wild bottlenose. Nice, detailed illustrations of marine animals in their natural habitat.

[Haaley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting insight on the life of a newborn dolphin.

[Julia Jasztal · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Mommy's review from 3/7/12)


This was Julia's school library book from last week and we both enjoyed the story. I think Julia wants to read/learn more about dolphins in general since reading and watching Winter's Tale. Of course, she is a six-year-old little girl do she was already in love with dolphins long before she learned about Winter.
This is especially cute because it follows a baby and Mama bottlenose dolphin thought an entire day - the day of the baby's birth. From him having help to take his first breath of air to instinctually observing the ocean around him it's just an all around cute story.
It's even educational although not in a textbook sort of way. The baby is shown learning to drink his mothers milk, however sloppily, the sounds dolphins make for various reasons are touched on, how they find schools of fish and then eat is shown, there's a lot here in a story that's not too long for the age group it targets. Shown briefly us an incoming shark and how the Mama and her best friend - the baby's nanny - escort him to safety while an older dolphin scares the shark away. That in itself is amazing to children - not to mention adults.
Julia wants to know if they really sleep with one eye open. I want to know if they actually sleep on top of the water as portrayed here. Some Googling is in order.
I would certainly recommend - its one of the better dolphin stories for children that we've come across to date.

[Shakita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good when learning about sea-life. Children who want to know more about dolphins or like dolphins this book would interest them. It tells facts about dolphins that children may not have known. The teacher can ask children what they remember from the book to see if they understood what went on. The teacher might want to read this book the first week of classes. It relates to how children have to learn new information about their environment and how they may be afraid their first week of a new grade. This book can show them that they will make new friends and that everything will be okay.

[Cana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mommy says: My kids were amazed to learn that baby dolphins drink milk from their mothers. We spent just as much time discussing that as we spent reading the whole book. Very informative, but interesting, too, to kids and adults alike. Even little kids will be able to comprehend the text; it's not too over the top or technical.

[John (JP) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first full day in the life of a baby dolphin. Beautifully illustrated a heart warming story. This will create in your child or children of any age, a desire to go to the sea and see the what wonders lie below the surface.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome! It tells a day in the life of a baby dolphin and it's pod. We learned a lot from reading it.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes us through a baby dolphin's first day, starting with birth and ending with bedtime.

Great descriptive language, beautiful artwork.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

We got this book with the octopus book at Half Price Books. John likes it. The drawings are very pretty.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good idea for a book, but it's just so long. It's hard to get kids to sit through that.

[4Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best dolphin book lol

[Tessa Zimmerly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: nonfiction/ fictional Biography
Grade: PK-2nd

This story is informational and entertaining. Students could relate to the love of the mother who protects her baby.