Customer Reviews

Whales and Dolphins in Question: The Smithsonian Answer Book (Smithsonian's In Question Series)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Collaboratively written by James G. Mead (Curator of Marine Mammals, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History) and Joy P. Gold (Technical Information Specialist, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History), Whales And Dolphins In Question: The Smithsonian Answer Book is a gorgeously illustrated book filled with beautiful color photography by Flip Nicklin and showcases fascinating information about wild whales and dolphins. The first section presents basic facts in question-and-answer format; the second addresses these wondrous creatures species by species, offering amazing trivia and insight into the natural world. A superb giftbook for dolphin and whale enthusiasts, Whales And Dolphins In Questions is strongly recommended for school and community library wildlife and marine life reference collections.

This is an interesting and helpful reference book if simple answers are all that are needed. References to other literature for each topic would be helfpul since the answers are sometimes so general and brief. Also, I had hoped that it would contain more information about perhaps the most important question we could ask about these animals ... how can we protect them?

If you have ever found yourself wondering whether whales drink seawater or you are not sure whether to believe the international press when it tells you that dolphins protect swimmers from sharks, then this is the book for you. It is a fascinating compendium of whale and dolphin facts, a collection of answers to frequently asked questions put forward by the generally interested public to Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. The scope is wide, ranging from whale evolution, through biology and research, to hunting and fisheries interaction. Pretty much anything you ever wanted to know about cetaceans is covered in this book. With pin-sharp colour photographs by Flip Nicklin, this is a great read cover to cover and a handy reference book for regular dipping in to. Something of a must-have for all cetacean enthusiasts.

Even for its intended audience my impression is that this books is a bit toooo basic in many counts. I rarely regret buying books but this was one I'd not recommend unless it's for really beginning kids with an interested in the subject. Two stars would be OK!