Keiko's Story: A Killer Whale Goes Home
Grade 4-6-In his living conditions and in the efforts of people preparing him for his reintroduction to the wild, Keiko's life parallels that of the fictional whale he played in the movie Free Willy. Without being judgmental, Kurth describes the marine mammal's cramped and unhealthy environment at Reino Aventura in Mexico City, and discusses the work of scientists and children all over the world to find him another home. She recounts the efforts required to move Keiko from Mexico to Oregon, and then to Iceland. In a lively and clear narrative, facts about killer whales are introduced and illustrated by full-color photographs on almost every page. Drawings and diagrams depict whale anatomy and activities such as breaching, lobtailing, slapping, and spyhopping. Potentially unfamiliar terms are highlighted in bold and included in the brief glossary and two-page index. An informative and enjoyable read.Frances E. Millhouser, Chantilly Regional Library, VACopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.