Review: Kobee Manatee: Heading Home to Florida by Robert Scott Thayer

18808468.jpg

Summary
Kobee Manatee takes a rare summertime trip from Florida all the way up to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. But he needs to get home before winter sets in or he’ll die from the cold. Kobee meets two new friends along the way; Tess the seahorse and Pablo the hermit crab. Will their twelve hundred mile journey south be a safe one with so many unforeseen obstacles ahead? This beautifully illustrated children’s informational picture book about the rare and threatened manatee is for parents, grandparents, children, teachers and librarians who want a captivating adventure that can be enjoyed again and again.


Review
In this beautifully illustrated and educational picture book, we are introduced to a warm and adventurous West Indian manatee, who is trying to get home to Florida to survive the cold. Along the way, he meets Tess the seahorse, who is lost and want to go home and Pablo the crab who is scared because he lost his shell. Since both are headed in the direction, Kobee invites them to tag along for a story about friendship and their journey filled with obstacles along the way that give the young reader a fun story that can read over and again. One of the best parts of this book was the educational elements that includes facts throughout the pages that help them learn more about the manatees. Ideally for the young reader between 4 and 8, if they love the water and are up for a cute little adventure, add this to their reading list!

Reviewed by Michelle Bowles

Publisher: Thompson Mill Press 
Publication date: November 5, 2013
Hardcover: 32 pages