Encantado: The Pink Dolphin of the Amazon.

Bibliography

Montgomery, Sy. 2002. ENCANTADO: PINK DOLPHIN OF THE AMAZON. Photo. by Dianne Taylor-Snow. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618131035.

Plot Summary

This informational text brings light to a little known creature, the pink dolphin of the Amazon, or Encantado. These creatures are only found in the waters of the Amazon river, and are the subject of much interest and mystery. Montgomery take s the reader to the Amazon, and explores this creature’s habitat, while informing about other interesting animals of the Amazon, and the people who live there. This book explores the science of these creatures, and compares them with other types of whales and dolphins, and uses the knowledge of experts and natives to do so.

Critical Analysis

Sy Montgomery writes this book in a way that allows to reader to feel the experience. You are transplanted to the Amazon, and adventure through the wild with her as the world of the Encantado is revealed. The information within the book was all gained through the Authors personal experiences and studies in the Amazon, where she worked with scientists and locals to uncover as much as possible about these pink dolphins, making this a very accurate bank of information. The photography featured supports the text (some were taken in the Amazon, while the close-ups featured are from the Pittsburgh Zoo), and enhances the feeling of having been on this adventure with the author. The text is also supported with graphs and maps of information about the area and the Encantado.

Review Excerpt

Booklist- “ instead of a traditional animal study, children are treated to a captivating travelogue, complete with numerous color photos of the people and places that incorporates political, environmental, and zoological aspects of the region.”

Connections

Students can research and explore the Encantado, as well as other dolphins and whales.

Other books about dolphins:

James, Sylvia. DOLPHINS. ISBN 1590340108.
Carwardine, Mark. Whales and Dolphins. ISBN 0789489902.
Hesse, Karen. THE MUSIC OF DOLPHINS. ISBN 0590897985.