Book Nook: Kobee Manatee: A Wild Weather Adventure

In the warmth of our national waters, where seagrass and freshwater vegetation flourish, migratory manatees find their way through coastal and inland waterways. One of them is named Kobee Manatee, and he’s about to go on one of the most thrilling adventures of his life. Manatees are considered an endangered species and are protected by the federal government—but for Kobee Manatee of Kobee Manatee: A Wild Weather Adventure, the biggest concern of the day is how he will survive the mighty Atlantic, powerful Gulf Stream, and a hurricane to surprise his sister Kim on her birthday.

 

This is the second installment of Robert Scott Thayer’s Kobee Manatee picture book series, which has won several awards since its debut in 2013. A Wild Weather Adventure recently won the Silver Medal in the 2015 Readers Favorite International Book Awards in Miami.

 

Each page of Kobee Manatee: A Wild Weather Adventure includes in-depth, scientific details titled “Kobee’s Fun Facts,” which expand on weather events the characters encounter along the way. This educational tool has been resourceful for classrooms to further the discussion about science, weather, and endangered manatees.

 

I had a chance to review the book, and it is a fun way to learn about marine science, as well as other scientific facts. My older daughter loves science and enjoys learning about weather, so this was a really fun book for her. The illustrations are colorful and appealing, the book is easy to read aloud, and there is a wealth of scientific information to learn from the book - yet not so much as to be overwhelming. It's a great gift for any child interested in science, especially weather or the ocean.

Kobee Manatee: A Wild Weather Adventure received five stars from Foreword Clarion Reviews, while Kirkus called it, “charming, distinguished, and dynamic.”

 

Robert Scott Thayer is principal partner of Thompson Mill Press. In addition to writing children’s books, he is a recording artist who writes and sings in the children’s genre. “Kobee’s Song,” his latest children’s tune, was produced by Grammy award winner Jim Cravero. Thayer is a member of the Author’s Guild, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Save the Manatee Club, and BMI. He lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.