Saving Manatees

by Stephen R. Swinburne

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.

1 pages, Audio CD

First published October 1, 2006

About the author

Steve was born in London, England. He holds a BA degree in Biology and English from Castleton State College in Vermont. He has worked as a ranger in a number of national parks and is the author of over 30 children's books. His extensive travels to faraway lands such as Africa and treks through Yellowstone have all influenced his book projects. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt published Steve’s book Sea Turtle Scientist in 2014. His most recent title is from Scholastic and entitled Safe in a Storm, a comforting read-aloud story, where all the animals find cozy places to keep them safe and warm. Steve visits nearly a hundred schools a year across the United States as well as many international schools. He lives in Vermont with his wife Heather, two dogs named Scout and Jem, and a cat named Skittles.