How Long Is a Whale?

PreS-Gr 2—In this simple counting book enlivened by colorful relief-printed images, Limentani introduces young readers to the concept of length by comparing different sea creatures, counting down from 10 sea otters to one humpback whale. For instance, 10 sea otters are as long as nine yellowfin tuna, and three great white sharks are as long as two killer whales. In the final pages, readers learn that two humpback whales are the size of one blue whale, but a foldout shows that the length of a blue whale can be achieved by a combination of dolphins, leatherback sea turtles, and a great white shark, among others. Although not to scale, the final spread depicts all of the aquatic life previously included and gives their length in feet. The illustrations are simple and sometimes portray other species not mentioned in the text, such as clownfish and angelfish. A diver who points to the animals and makes an OK sign appears in every image, which adds a look-and-find element that is perfect for one-on-one sharing.