Astro: The Steller Sea Lion [Hardcover]

Jeanne Walker Harvey (Author), Shennen Bersani (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 10, 2010 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Astro is a stellar Steller sea lion! Only a few days old when found orphaned, he is cared for and raised at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California. When big enough to be released to the wild where he needs to be, he has other plans! Just like a lost dog finding his way home, Astro keeps swimming back towards the Center, crossing miles of open ocean water to do so. After several attempts, people realize that Astro is too accustomed to humans and will just keep coming back. Based on real events, readers follow Astro through some of the travels that have taken him across the U.S. to his current home at the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut. The For Creative Minds educational section includes: Steller Sea Lions, Steller Sea Lions Threatened and Endangered, Where in the World? (A Map Activity), Steller Sea Lion Life Cycle, Sea Lion or Seal? (Whats the Same? Whats Different?). Additional Teaching Activities and Interactive Quizzes are available for free on the Sylvan Dell Publishing website.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-4–Harvey tells a gentle tale of an orphaned Steller sea lion pup whose early imprinting on his human nurturers at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA, leaves him determinedly reluctant to live in the wild on any terms. Bersani's nearly photographic illustrations keep perfect time with the simple text, showing the pup returning to the center each time he is released. Adults will cheer at the "For Creative Minds" section, replete with activities, maps, further data, and advice on linking with a website for more curriculum-oriented exploration.Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
© Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist

While only a few days old, an orphaned Steller sea lion pup is rescued by California’s Marine Mammal Center staff, who name him Astro. After much nurturing and care, Astro is healthy enough to return to the ocean, but because of his bonding with humans, he persistently returns to land, preferring people and populated settings to sea life. Ultimately, Astro finds a permanent and happy residence at Connecticut’s Mystic Aquarium. Harvey’s debut picture book is a fictionalized account of the real-life Astro’s experiences, and the lively text, printed in a large, easy-to-read type, is filled with intriguing specifics: baby Astro is fed a whipped-cream-and-herring smoothie, for example. The photorealistic, mixed-media illustrations have a flat feel, but the characters’ expressive faces bring some emotional depth. The extensive back matter includes Steller Sea Lion facts; a map-related activity; an anagram to remember events in a sea lion’s life cycle; and the similarities and differences between sea lions and seals. A touching, informative introduction to the species. Grades 1-3. --Shelle Rosenfeld

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: SylvanDellPublishing (August 10, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1607180766
• ISBN-13: 978-1607180760
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #157,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #99 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Zoos

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an amazing story of Astro who preferred Sausalito instead of surfing the Pacific Waves!, August 9, 2010

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Astro: The Steller Sea Lion (Hardcover)

A young sea lion cautiously peered through the grate of a pink dog crate secured into the back of a pickup. Pacific waves gently lapped the rocky shores of the California coast. Gulls flew overhead as a pelican closely watched as the truck began its journey to The Marine Mammal Center. Astro, an orphaned Steller sea lion who weighed a mere 39 pounds, would soon find himself nestled into a new volunteer human family. Droplets of his "special smoothie made from ground herring, salmon oil, and whipping cream," from the nipple of a baby bottle dribbled from his mouth. His friends nurtured Astro until it was time to head back into the wild with other Steller sea lions in the ocean seas.

A crew from the Center gathered at the shore to release him, but before he left his crate "a satellite tag was attached to Astro's back so The Marine Mammal Center would be able to track his travels in the ocean." Back on the very beach he was found the waves embraced his body, but frightened of the unknown he soon discovered that ocean waves were not to his liking. Not one iota. Astro made friends with some elephant seals, but would not venture back into the sea. Back to the center he went. They tried releasing him with eight seal pals from the Center, but no go. He hung on for dear life until gravity drew him into the sea. Ten days later guess what Astro did? He showed up on a beach near The Marine Mammal Center. How could they ever get him to go back to the sea where he belonged? Was he going to keep coming back to the Center? How could they break his attachment to people?

This is an amazing story of a young Stellar sea lion, Astro, who much preferred his summer nights in Sausalito instead of surfing the ocean waves. I was simply fascinated by Astro's story, who quickly brought to mind André the seal who was a denizen of the East coast. The highly realistic photo-like artwork was tremendously appealing. Many people do know that Astro now resides in Mystic Connecticut and would love for you to visit him. In the back of this book, which can be used in the homeschool or classroom setting, includes additional information about the species, a section concerning their threatened and endangered status, a map activity, life cycle information, a section describing how to differentiate between a sea lion and a seal, and access to additional web sites through the publisher's web site. I couldn't resist listening to Sausalito Summernight as I read about this little guy, a cutie you are definitely going to fall in love with!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True to life, indeed!, December 18, 2010

By 

amy k. klaffka - See all my reviews

This review is from: Astro: The Steller Sea Lion (Hardcover)

I first must confess that I'm a HUGE fan of Astro. I volunteered at TMMC when Astro was there. As is protocol, we are not to talk amongst ourselves (other volunteers) when we tend to the animals. Usually they run from us (which is what we wanted), EXCEPT ASTRO. Soon after he became healthy enough to be aware of what was going on...sort of, he became VERY interested in what we were doing. Usually the animals have a fear of people, not Asrto. (We think he actually had "favorites!!") We had to pay EXTRA care not to be joking around, nor entertaining AT ALL while in his pen. Clean his pen, try to feed him and leave. Eventually, he gained enough weight and WAS eating fish on his own. The release team attempted to do the BIG JOB, release him... and the rest is history.

My entire family, on the East Coast, followed my stories of him and they are getting THIS book (with a picture of me feeding him) for Christmas!

This is a spectacular TRUE story of people LOVING animals and doing everything possible to make a good life for them. Thank you Marine Mammal Center for giving me the opportunity to work with these animals.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Granddaughters love Astro!, December 8, 2010

By 

Sally Knorp (Menlo Park, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Astro: The Steller Sea Lion (Hardcover)

Wonderful book with beautiful pictures that is filled with interesting facts as well as an enchanting story. Fun for children and adults. My six year old granddaughters love the story of Astro's adventures and ask a lot of questions about his present life.