Kotik, the Baby Seal

Anne Hutchings is an elementary-school teacher-librarian in Ajax,
Ontario.

Angиle Delaunois is an extraordinary storyteller. Despite the rather
challenging vocabulary in these two books (glossaries are provided in
both), the narratives flow humorously, at times poetically, while at the
same time incorporating the most up-to-date scientific data.

Kotik, the Baby Seal recounts the development of a young harp seal,
from his birth on the pack ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and to his
frantic quest for food and warmth, to his fear and confusion at being
abandoned to fend for himself, to his eventual entry into the world of
adult seals. Nanook and Naoya, the Polar Bear Cubs chronicles the first
two years in the lives of Nanook and Naoya as they acquire the knowledge
and skills that will enable them to survive in the harsh environment of
their northern home.

Both books are enhanced by Fred Bruemmer’s outstanding
photographs—that of a young seal sucking its flipper, as a baby does
its thumb, deserves special mention. Highly recommended for all ages,
whether used independently or shared with an adult.