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See What a Seal Can Do    by Chris Butterworth & Kate Nelms Amazon.com order for
See What a Seal Can Do
by Chris Butterworth
Order:  USA  Can
Candlewick, 2013 (2013)
Hardcover
* *   Reviewed by Bob Walch

'You might think a seal's just a slow, dozy creature that spends its time lazing around. But you'd be wrong!' writes Chris Butterworth at the beginning of this informative and nicely illustrated picture book for children three years of age and older.

He may look like a bit of a sand slug sunbathing on the beach with his buddies, but once a seal slips into the water he becomes an entirely different creature. You'll follow the featured seal in this story as he enters his natural environment and shows how well he is adapted to hunting beneath the surface.

His shape is perfect for shooting through the water while his big eyes make it easy to see in the gloom of a seaweed forest. A flip of his flipper allows the seal to turn quickly or dive deeper to avoid an enemy like a killer whale. As he goes deeper the seal's heart beat slows down to about four beats per minute. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about a seal is that he can remain underwater for up to 15 minutes.

And, after an arduous hunting excursion beneath the seas, it is back to the warm, safe beach for a little snooze time.

Young readers will not only discover a lot of interesting facts about seals but they will also realize that looks can be deceptive. He may be a bit clumsy on land but in the water the seal is a graceful creature.

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