Eight Dolphins of Katrina: A True Tale of Survival

This story of the rescue of eight dolphins off the coast of Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina underscores the bonds between dolphins and their trainers, as well as those among dolphins themselves. After a 40-foot tidal wave destroys the dolphin pool at the Marine Life Oceanarium in Gulfport, eight dolphins disappear, presumably washed into the Gulf of Mexico. Via helicopter and boat, the trainers set out to search for the dolphins, who were raised in captivity and thus unaccustomed to feeding or protecting themselves. Laced with dialogue that accentuates the trainers’ affection for the dolphins and sense of urgency, Coleman’s (Secrets, Lies, Gizmos, and Spies) clipped narrative recounts the rescue of all eight, who had remained together, close to shore. Spare yet theatric, the late Nascimbene’s (Crouching Tiger) dappled watercolors have a lovely silk-screened quality, contrasting the destructive force of the hurricane and the tranquility that arrives in its wake. The recounting of events is quite brief; the book’s second half consists of illustrated notes on other real-life dolphin feats and a scrapbook-style section of captioned photos about the dolphins and their rescue. Ages 6–9. (Aug.)