A Dolphin Named Bob is Twig's first book for  children oges seven to twelve. Published by HarperCollins in 1996, it is the story of a  dolphin calf that was born at the Baltimore Aquarium. In telling about the joyful antics  of "Bob," she is able to teach children about the social and biological aspects  of dolphins as well as life at the Aquarium. Her next book is about sharks, another  Aquarium favorite.

Here's what David Maraniss, award-winning journalist with the  Washington Post, had to say about A Dolphin Named Bob...

Just the title of the book made me smile even before I cracked  open the cover, and the 70 pages that followed fulfilled all of my expectations. A  Dolphin Named Bob , written by Baltimore-area writer Twig George, does what any  good children's book is supposed to do: it tells a story that is interesting and appealing  to readers of all ages.

There is  a bit of a trick to the title that reveals the depth of the book. Naming a dolphin Bob,  one might suppose, is a way of anthropomorphizing a marine mammal and making it more  attractive on human terms to young readers. But in fact it is an active verb--Bob got his  name because of the way he bobbed in the pool when swimming in circles. And while Ms.  George infuses Bob with many fascinating traits, and makes it possible for humans to peek  inside the imagined inner life of dolphins, she also teaches us the science: how these  amazing creatures live, swim, sleep, breathe, play, learn, and care for their young. We  grow to like and care about Bob and his mother Aster as characters at the same time that  we discover more about their species. But Ms. George does not pretend to be a know-it-all.  She appreciates the mystery of nature--some things Bob and his mother Aster do are beyond  the grasp of humans.

Why did Aster push Bob down to the bottom of the pool right after  he was born? Why did Bob jump into the main performing pool one day and refuse to leave  for weeks? Bob is not your average dolphin. He has his own way of doing things.

He represents the free spirit that persists anywhere, even in an  aquarium, which is not surprising to anyone who knows the spirit of the person who created  him, former CMC Education Director, Twig George.

Twig C. George is available to speak with  students about growing up with author-mother Jean Craighead George, dolphins, sharks and  jellyfish. All talks are personalized to fit your curriculum and the interests of your  students. Please call (410) 628-0343 during business hours to schedule. You can order A  Dolphin Named Bob at Amazon.com.

Email: twiggeorge@comcast.net

Back to  the Official Jean Craighead George website