A Manatee Calf Grows Up

Learn all about manatees by tracing the life of a manatee calf from infancy to adulthood. The book starts with a word hunt that uses pictures to introduce key words in the text. Then readers will learn interesting facts about manatees. 

Using an engaging format, A Manatee Calf Grows Up reinforces core language skills for first and second graders. Whenever a keyword is introduced, an arrow points to a picture that helps readers understand the word. Each two-page spread has one page with three to five short sentences with keywords in bold font. The other page has a full-page colored illustration with one to two sentences of facts about the manatee. For example, “A calf begins drinking its mother’s milk a few hours after it is born.”  

Many of the book’s concepts are repeated throughout, and the end includes an infographic summarizing a manatee’s growth cycle, a glossary of keywords, and pictures of other mammals that readers will want to learn about. This Scholastic News Nonfiction Reader helps readers build background knowledge, expand their vocabulary, and develop critical reading skills.  

A Manatee Calf Grows Up will engage students as they learn about manatees. The illustrations and repetitive text help readers remember the facts. To learn more about ocean animals, readers should also read Disney Moana: Moana’s New Friend by Jennifer Liberts and Otters Love to Play by Jonathan London. 

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• None

Drugs and Alcohol  

• None 

Language  

• None 

Supernatural 

• None

Spiritual Content  

• None