Venus Among the Fishes - Softcover

Hall, Elizabeth; O'Dell, Scott

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0440411750 ISBN 13: 9780440411758

Publisher: Yearling, 1996

Synopsis

Killer whales are invading the peaceful dolphin territory of Glacier Strait. Coral and her brother Snapper are sent from their herd to search for their older brother, and safer waters. Coral's journey is treacherous as she encounters vicious sharks and whales and hazardous fishing nets. But the greatest danger of all comes when Coral confronts the humans and the terror of captivity.

About this title

About the Author:

Scott O'Dell (1898–1989), one of the most respected authors of historical fiction, received the Newbery Medal, three Newbery Honor Medals, and the Hans Christian Andersen Author Medal, the highest international recognition for a body of work by an author of books for young readers. Some of his many books include The Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Road to Damietta, Sing Down the Moon, and The Black Pearl.

From Booklist:

Gr. 4^-6. O'Dell began this manuscript, and his wife finished it after he died. Coral, the narrator, is a young, female dolphin whose father sends her to find her brother and bring him home to help the pod, which is beset by orcas. On her journey, she meets humans, an enemy worse than the orcas, who seem determined to kill everything in the sea. Eventually, Coral is captured and set to work training rescue divers for the navy. She also falls in love, but Mark, a human, has too many limitations for underwater living. The dolphin characters are not interestingly developed, and Coral's crush on Mark seems silly. What redeems the book are its scientific underpinnings and its underwater perspective on dolphin hunting and shows, which readers will find more attractive than the anthropomorphic characters or the plot. Mary Harris Veeder

About this edition

• Publisher: Yearling
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0440411750
• ISBN 13: 9780440411758
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160