"If a Dolphin Were a Fish" is the clever story of a dolphin who imagines that she is a fish, a turtle, a bird, an octopus, or even a shark or manatee. She (and the readers) learn just how special she really is and how special each of her other sea animal friends are too.  The Creative Minds section has teaching trivia, crafts and games related to dolphins and some of her sea-creature friends.

Written by Loran Wlodarski Illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein	32 pg, 8.5" x 10", Hardcover w/ Jacket, Ages 4-8 Hardback ISBN: 978-0-9768823-2-9, $15.95 Paperback ISBN: 978-1-934359-03-7, $8.95
Purchase:

“This imaginative collaboration of text and art is a treasure. A thought-provoking, informative, and unusual book, If a Dolphin Were a Fish is outstanding for family reading.” – National Center for the Study of Children’s Literature

“This is a VERY CLEVER book. The illustrations are wonderful, clever, and fun to look at on their own. What makes it particularly fun is that it reads like a story, but it throws LOTS of really good facts at you, too. This is an engaging picture book that will get kids involved in the ‘what-ifs’ and discerning information about life in the ocean.” – The Reading Tub

“In addition to having good science content and an emphasis on animal adaptations, the book also sends readers the message that it's best to be yourself instead of trying to imitate others.” - NSTA Recommends

Author/Artist Bio:

Loran Wlodarski is a science writer for SeaWorld and has written five books for them in addition to his many normal daily responsibilities. He has been published in sources such as Grolier's Encyclopedia for Children and The Marine Mammal Encyclopedia. In addition, he has served as a scientific consultant for "Ask Magazine", Random House Books, Animal Planet, Ripley's Believe It Or Not, and Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Loran has raised animals his entire life. One of his early jobs at SeaWorld's Education Department was to raise some of their animals - newly hatched sharks, macaws, turtles, tropical fish, and iguanas. Loran lives with his wife and child in Florida.

Laurie Allen Klein has been a freelance artist for nearly 20 years. Over the last several years she has worked as the on-staff artist for the Education Department at SeaWorld Orlando. It was there that she met and teamed up with author Loran Wlodarski. At SeaWorld, Laurie does everything from painting life-size sea animal murals, to illustrating children’s activity books. In addition to Dolphin for Sylvan Dell, Laurie also illustrated award winning Little Skink’s Tail (watercolor) and has a new 2009 title Where Should Turtle Be?. Laurie has illustrated four other books – The Out to Pasture series, authored by Effie Wilder, and published by Peachtree Publishers. Laurie illustrated If a Dolphin Were a Fish using colored pencils! School visit info. See more of her artwork at http://www.lauriekleinart.com/.