Baby Beluga (Raffi Songs to Read) [Paperback]

Raffi (Author), Ashley Wolff (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up | Series: Raffi Songs to Read

Illus. in full color.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-- The song about this small, white whale has as its hero probably the best loved of all Raffi's creations. Children who are learning about the interdependence of all life on Earth, and of the crucial importance of preserving the fragile environment, will get a first, cheerful lesson about the natural world by becoming acquainted with enchanting Baby Beluga, swimming wild and free with his mother in the deep blue sea. He and his friends are somewhat anthropomorphic, in the interests of cuddliness, but this does the message no harm . The illustrations are a joy to behold, and the song has a rhythm and rhyme that make it easy to remember and sing. --Joan McGrath, Education Centre Library, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"The song about this small white whale has as its hero the best loved of Raffi's creations. Children will get a first, cheerful lesson about the natural world by becoming acquainted with enchanting Baby Beluga. The illustrations are a joy, and the song's rhythm and rhyme make it easy to remember and sing."--School Library Journal  

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers; 1st Pbk. Ed edition (March 17, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517583623
• ISBN-13: 978-0517583623
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 0.2 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,922 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Whales
  • #20 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Animals > Marine Life > Fiction
  • #32 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Fiction

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful book, but combined with music, its IRRESISTIBLE!, May 23, 2002

By 

History_of_Art_Geek (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baby Beluga (Raffi Songs to Read) (Board book)

"Baby Beluga" tells the story of a little Beluga Whales daily adventures in the "deep blue sea." The beautiful illustrations and charming story captured my attention instantly. Not familiar with Raffi, and his music, I was unaware of the popularity of the song, by the same title, until noticing the back cover, where it is mentioned. I have since purchased the CD, and CAN NO LONGER read this book; I have to SING it! "Baby Beluga in the deep blue sea, swim so wild and you swim so free. Heaven above and the sea below, and a little white whale on the go."

The editorial comments regarding Ashley Wolff's illustrations are harsh. As an artist, I regard the work to be first-rate! The mostly analogous color palette (ocean blues and greens) is bright and true to life, while the expressions are communicative and warm. Perhaps, a little more contrast between the Beluga Whales and the sea is in order, but that is a personal preference. Besides, compared to ANY of the severely cold computer-generated images available in books today, the illustrations in this book are superior. "Baby Beluga" is a delightful book independently, although, combined with the music; it is IRRESISTIBLE! One-year and up.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Head Start teacher loves to do activities using Baby Beluga, June 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Baby Beluga (Raffi Songs to Read) (Board book)

I have been teaching Head Start for 6 years and one of my lesson plans is based on the book and music of Baby Beluga. The book has many teaching points such as night and day, living in a cold environment, naming and counting animals. The children love it. We make a bottle with blue water and a white balloon turns into a whale and while the music plays the children make waves with the bottle. I've never found a child who didn't like this activity.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keeps children engaged!, May 16, 2000

By 

Alan R. Holyoak - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baby Beluga (Raffi Songs to Read) (Board book)

Whether you know Raffi's music or not, this is a great little book. My children love it. We have had it long enough that our oldest now reads it to the younger ones.

There seems to be a natural interest among many children about things that live in the ocean. This book fuels that interest.

The book is fun, well illustrated, and a joy to read. Do your children ask you to read them some books over and over again? Mine do, and this is one that has had the covers nearly read off of it!

If you haven't seen this book, give it a try. It's also a good book for beginning readers to work on.

Top notch! 5 stars!