ENCANTADO: PINK DOLPHIN OF THE AMAZON

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Montgomery, Sy. 2002. ENCANTADO: PINK DOLPHIN OF THE AMAZON. Photographs by Dianne Taylor-Snow. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618131035

PLOT SUMMARY
The Encantado, pink dolphin of the Amazon is an elusive animal. It is able to survive in the Amazon River by having a flexible body that is able to maneuver the often times dense and dark Amazon River. The dolphin is a rare sight since they swim low and never jump out of the water. The illusiveness of the dolphins makes them special and magical to the people who live along the river. The author takes readers on a trip down the river to understand the people, culture, and the importance of preserving the rainforest.

The author documents in second person what it would be like to study these animals based on her own observations. Some days there were many sightings, and on one particular day “They surfaced at the same moment within fifty yards of the canoe, a big pink mother and a little gray young one.” They also live among many other amazing animals. Piranhas, and electric eels will cause you think twice before swimming in the murky water to look for the Encantado. The water is also home to armored catfish which are descendants from the Devonian era 400 million years ago.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Photographs taken by Dianne Taylor-Snow are bright and colorful. The photographs bring reality to a rather elusive animal. They also allow the reader to connect to how people live in different parts of the world. The Encantado photographs in the book were taken of the Encantado that resides at the Pittsburgh Zoo. Readers are intrigued by the numerous topics and photographs that the author relates to the environment in which the Encantado lives.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Reviewed in BOOKLIST: “children with a taste for adventure will enjoy this enthusiastic field trip to the rainforest and chance meetings with everything from cute monkeys to stinging black ants.”
Reviewed in School Library Journal: “a magical environment as readers accompany the author and a guide on a voyage to investigate these little-known animals.”

CONNECTIONS
*Invite students to participate in a lesson that compares and contrasts Dolphins and Encantados.
*Other books by Sy Montgomery:
Montgomery, Sy. JOURNEY OF THE PINK DOLPHINS: AN AMAZON QUEST. ISBN 0743200268Montgomery, Sy. THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST: SCIENTIST IN THE FIELD. ISBN 061891577X