A pregnant manatee badly injured by a boat in shallow water is taken to an aquarium where she is treated and begins to heal. “But her world, once boundless, had shrunk to the size of a tank.” Jim Arnosky’s straightforward yet moving account of the manatee’s gradual recovery, the birth of her calf, and their eventual release back into the wild highlights the plight of this gentle creature whose greatest danger is humans who don’t take care when boating in waters where manatees live and swim. An author’s note following this fictional story based on actual events provides additional information about manatees. Full-page paintings and small spot illustrations of the manatee’s natural habitat accompany the narrative. (Ages 5–8)

Manatees are the gentle giants of southeastern coastal waterways. An endangered species, their biggest threat is humans, who unwittingly hit them with their boats in shallow waters.

Jim Arnosky's conversational narrative tells the story of one such accident, which leads the manatee to be taken to a rescue and rehabilitation facility. There they discover that the manatee is pregnant. And while she recovers and gives birth to a healthy baby, she longs to be free. Ultimately, both manatees are released into the wild'a huge success for the people who intervened in saving the animal.

Arnosky's intimate storytelling and brilliant art will draw children right into the subject, and makes for an important addition to conservation units.