Dolphin Sky, Paperback

Set in 1968, before the passage of the Marine Mammal Act, Dolphin Sky is about a dyslexic girl who takes huge risks to befriend a pair of captive dolphins. On her 12th birthday, motherless Buddy Martin is entranced by some performing dolphins she sees at a squalid tourist trap near her home in Chokoloskee, Florida, an Everglades fishing village. Considered "dumb" because she can't read properly and constantly gets directions reversed, Buddy feels empathy for the animals her father says are "too dumb" to miss their lost freedom. Against the wishes of her father but abetted by her crippled and ailing grandfather, Buddy surreptitiously undertakes the 10-mile boat trip as often as she can to see the dolphins, one of whom, Annie, becomes her special friend. Meanwhile, while working on a science project, Buddy teams up with a visiting scientist who not only warns her of the health dangers the dolphins face but also takes her to Miami, where she is diagnosed as dyslexic. For Buddy, knowledge is power: as she learns to overcome her disability, she likewise stands up for herself against her classroom nemesis and her father to save the dolphins. "Believable characters, convincingly portrayed relationships, a deeply moving plot and a wealth of intimate details of Everglades life combine to make this novel a real winner." Ages 10-14. From a Starred review by Publisher's Weekly.