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Dolphins in Danger: Adventures of Riley    by Amanda Lumry, Laura Hurwitz & Sarah McIntyre Amazon.com order for
Dolphins in Danger
by Amanda Lumry
Order:  USA  Can
Eaglemont, 2005 (2005)
Hardcover
* * *   Reviewed by Hilary Williamson

Previous Adventures of Riley have taken the nine-year-old along with his absent-minded uncle Max, aunt Martha and cousin Alice to environmental trouble spots in Nepal, South Africa and the Amazon Rain Forest. The series is developed with help from scientists of the Smithsonian, World Wildlife Fund and Wildlife Conservation Society, and a portion of the proceeds is donated to these organizations. A Passport to Riley's World and an adventure sticker for the episode is included at the back of each book.

In Dolphins in Danger, Riley heads to the South Pacific island of Moorea, Tahiti, where his uncle Max is studying 'spinner dolphin behavior and communication.' As always, the story of Riley's discoveries is presented in a blend of photos and colorful illustrations, with sidebars on fascinating factoids and their sources. For example, did you know that spinner dolphins can spin up to seven times in one jump? Riley and family head out by boat to a lagoon. There, they see dolphins, including Shark Bite, so named because it lost part of its dorsal fin in an encounter with a shark. Later, they spot humpback whales. They snorkel to explore the underwater world. When Riley gets in trouble while surfing, he's saved by a dolphin and, in turn, he helps his uncle and Tahitian fishermen rescue dolphins trapped in a lagoon.

Having scuba dived in the ocean off Moorea and been intrigued by dolphins for a long time, I especially enjoyed Dolphins in Danger. But I recommend all the Adventures of Riley to anyone interested in learning more about our relationship with the natural world.

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