Blood in the Water by C. Alexander London

Reviewed by Lori
Title: Blood in the Water

Series: Tides of War - Volume 1

Author: C. Alexander London

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 87271

Description: Cory McNab is a member of the Navy's Marine Mammal Program where he is partnered with a search-and-recovery dolphin named Kaj, and their new mission is to help locate a spy submersible lost in North Korean waters, but first they have to win the trust of the Navy SEALs who are assigned to deal with the problem.

Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It

Why I Read It: Chosen for a Read Aloud.

Notes:  After Cory drops out of the Navy Seals he’s unsure whether or not he wants to even return to the military but after his brother is attacked by a great white shark and he is rescued by a wild dolphin Cory knows what he’s meant to do.  He joins the Navy’s Marine Mammal program and is partnered with a dolphin named Kaj. When a spy submersible goes missing in North Korean waters Cory and Kaj are called upon by the Navy Seals for a search and rescue mission. But if caught they could start a war, and while Cory feels safe with Kaj he has a fear of returning to the water with the great whites.  While my son really enjoyed this book, it really wasn’t my cup of tea. I would have preferred if the story stayed with a focus on the dolphin and Cory’s fear of the water/sharks, and the recovery of the submersible. I didn’t like the fighting sequences, particularly as some of the Navy Seals don’t make it. Overall, I gave this book a like strictly for the animal story and because it was an enjoyable read for my 12 year old. 

Recommended Readers:  Grade 6-9.  Good title for boys and anyone interested in the Marines or Marine Biology. 

Themes:  War, Fear, Animal and Human Relationships, Dolphins, Marines, Water

Cross-Genre Links: 
Movie: Flipper
Movie: Dolphin Reef 
Youtube: Dolphins Clicks and Whistles
Websearch: Echolocation
Youtube: A Perfect Circle - So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Websearch: Animals in the Military

Inquiries and Activities: 

  • Research how different animals have been used historically in the military or war.  Do you agree with this practice. Why or Why not? Host a debate arguing each side. 
  • What animals have been used in war and what have they done.  
  • Write an article for a newspaper about an heroic animal. 
  • Have dolphins ever really rescued humans and do they really attack sharks? 
  • Would you ever go back in the water if you had witnessed a shark attack?  
  • Why does Cory decide to go into the Marine Mammal Program? 
  • How does Cory’s training help him rescue Kaj?


Comments

Post a Comment

Thank you for Reading!

Popular posts from this blog

The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan

Reviewed by Lori
Image
Title: The Poet's Dog Author: Patricia MacLachlan Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 127678 Description:   An abandoned dog, able to speak only to poets and children, rescues a pair of young children stranded in the forest. Together, they find a way to overcome their losses. Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love It Why I Read It: Poetry and Dogs... what more can I say.  Notes: This is one of those novels that I absolutely love.  It is written for a younger audience but there are deeper aspects to the story that are very appealing to an adult reader.   The story is encapsulated within 88 pages, and spells out the story of Teddy, the poet's dog, whose master has passed away, and Flora and Nickel, two children he finds lost in a blizzard.   The children are left in a car by their mother as she goes to look for help after getting stuck in the snow.  The children get scared and leave the vehicle and get lost in the woods where they are found by Teddy who brings them home.  Flo
Read more

Brain Jack by Brian Falkner

Reviewed by Lori
Image
Title: Brain Jack Author: Brian Falkner Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 128664 Description:   In a near-future New York City, computer genius Sam Wilson manages to hack into the AT&T network and sets off a chain of events that have a profound effect on human activity throughout the world. Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love It! Why I Read It: Interesting write up in the catalogue and a growing interest in tech-related reading. Notes: Sam is a seventeen-year-old Hacker, one of the best around.  So good that he is able to hack into the telecomerica head offices and order a couple of "neuro" headsets for himself and his friend Fargas.  The latest technology that allows you to directly access the computer network using only your brain.  But Sam's hacking brings down services for three days - something that will go down in history.  That's when the CDD (the cyber defence division) start watching him.  It's not long before they hack Sam back and he's arrested.
Read more

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Reviewed by Lori
Image
Title:  All the Light We Cannot See Author: Anthony Doerr Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 98669 Description:  A blind French girl on the run from the German occupation and a German orphan-turned-Resistance tracker struggle with their respective beliefs after a fortuitous meeting on the Brittany coast. Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love It! Why I Read it: This book has been on my reading list for awhile and it was recommended to me by several people. Lori's Notes: This was a fantastic novel.  It may seem overwhelming in terms of size but the individual chapters are very short and read almost like mini short stories within the book.  The characters alternate between Marie-Laure a blind Parisian girl, and Werner an orphan German boy. Marie-Laure's father, Daniel LeBlanc, works in a Paris Museum as a key master and designs intricate puzzle boxes for his daughter.  Werner lives in a children's home with his sister Jutta and because of his interest in radios is quickly recruit
Read more