A fantastic book highlighting environmental issues which middle grade readers will find intriguing and engaging.
Else spends all her time at a marine wildlife refuge called Seaside Sanctuary, and when the dolphins all become sick she's determined to find out why.
The way this book talks about the impact of dumping toxic waste is accessible and important for younger readers, whether they are already invested in environmental issues or this is their introduction to them.
A mystery which younger readers will find very satisfying, this is definitely a book I'll be using with my class in the future.

An excellent middle-grade book that encourages environmental activism. Young readers will enjoy the setting and characters. I highly recommend for those who love dolphins, mysteries and our environment. Both of my daughters 8 and 12 enjoyed reading this book.

Great adventure of a couple of friends trying to find out why the dolphins at a sanctuary are getting sick. I loved this so much. I wish I could have read it as a tween.

A Dolphin Named Star is a delightful story that I’m assuming is written for tweens, perhaps a little younger. (8-11 years old) It reminded me of a cross between Nancy Drew and the old television show, Flipper. Yes, yes, I know I’m showing my age but I read all of the Nancy Drew books and watched re-runs of Flipper so often that I, literally, could recite entire episodes by memory. Is it any wonder that I loved A Dolphin Named Star!?

Elsa and her best friend Olivia spend all of their time at the Seaside Sanctuary for wildlife where Elsa’s parents work. The girls have bonded with the new dolphins who have been rescued and are acclimatizing to their new outdoor “pool.” However, worry sets in for the girls as the dolphins immediately begin to get sick, have sores and, eventually, one of the trio dies. No one can figure out exactly what is wrong with the dolphins since water samples come back clean. The girls do some sleuthing to find the answers, hopefully in time to save the remaining dolphins.

This is, of course, a book that is written for the minds and attention level of kids, however, it is intelligently written and covers a lot of bases regarding the sanctity of wildlife, ocean pollution, corporate wrong-doing. Because my own kids grew up with books like this, from Nancy Drew to Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell, I think the book is perfectly written for their interests and knowledge base. In addition, as if the book weren’t terrific enough, there are discussion questions in the back of the book to encourage further dialogue and research. There also is a glossary of terms that might be unfamiliar to kids but which will further enhance their language skills and, hopefully, peak their interest so that they will search out other books on this topic.

A Dolphin Named Star is beautifully illustrated, marvelously written and a thoroughly enjoyable book. It is one in a set of four books about the girls and Seaside Sanctuary and would be an excellent gift for young readers.

Thank you to #Netgalley and @CapstonePub for my advance copy – published by #StoneArchBooks.

For a young reader this is great little chapter book about a marine wildlife refuge known as Seaside Sanctuary. When the dolphins all become sick, everyone is racing to figure out the source of the illness before they get worse, including Elsa, the marine biologist’s Daughter and her friend Olivia.
This story talks about illegal dumping of toxic waste and how it affects marine animals. This is great for a young reader concerned about environmental issues.
Thank you to Capstone and NetGalley for this advanced copy. My opinions are my own.
This book will be highlighted on my blog December 11th, 2018.
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Elsa's parents are marine biologists who have moved from Chicago, where they worked for the Shedd Aquarium, to a seaside town where they run a sanctuary for marine animals. They have just gotten a grant to have an outside pen, and three dolphins have just taken up residence in the protected cove. Elsa and her friend, Olivia, help out during the summer with feeding, and when the dolphins become ill, they investigate. Having smelled an odd odor of gasoline on one of the new neoprene wet suits, the girls think there is a chemical leaking into the cove, but the scientists, including Olivia's sister, Abby, have done lots of tests and are not finding anything dangerous. When one of the dolphins dies, Elsa's parents' reputation is on the line, and the facility is audited. The girls ramp up their investigation and do some spy work, which uncovers an unsavory plot that involves one of the sponsors of the sanctuary.

Strengths: For some odd reason, a lot of my students are interested in marine biology. This had a lot of good details about the dolphins', their troubles in the wild, and the problems they face when dealing with pollution. It's a simple story, so elementary students won't be confused, and the friendship between the girls is a nice touch. I would definitely buy this for an elementary library.
Weaknesses: More sophisticated readers will see the clues to the mystery right away. While I could see that sympathy was being set up for the woman running the chemical company, I found it hard to believe that someone who cared about animals would turn a blind eye to illegally dumping chemicals, even if she were worried about her job. Again, elementary students won't worry about the subtleties; they will just enjoy the dolphin related mystery.
What I really think: I may buy this if Follett has a prebind of the paperback available. Nearly $20 is pricey for the library binding.

This is exactly the kind of book I would have devoured as a child! Perfect for budding environmentalists and animal rights advocates! Dolphin Named Star will help foster a sense of empathy for wildlife and the environment with its positive messaging.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a very short read but the story had a good message. There are illustrations to break up the story so it is a good bridge to longer chapter books. The book talks about the dangers of chemicals being dumped in to the ocean and the repercussions those actions have, specifically on dolphins. I liked how the book had information at the end, including a glossary of words, discussion questions and facts about dolphins.

This was a cute and very quick read. Its shortness made it feel more like a novella than a full book, but it still was a great story. It's perfect for younger readers who are looking for a good, but short book.

The characters were smart, and showed what anyone can accomplish, when they try. The story taught the idea of being careful of the repercussions of one's actions. The illustrations were very cute. I recommend this book for any young (or old) reader looking for a quick and immersive read.

I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very well written children's book about the dangers of chemicals being illegally dumped in the ocean and the effects it has on dolphins. It has a glossary that explains some of the words used, discussion questions, written activities, and facts about dolphins at the end of the story. This is a wonderful book. Thank you Capstone Stone Arch Books via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.