GOING ON A WHALE WATCH

Another brilliantly planned book from the creator of Eating Fractions (1991) and dozens of other excellent books utilizing his fine color photos. Every choice McMillan makes here is informed by intelligence and an awareness of his audience. Lucid photos of whales are paired with smaller drawings depicting the same scenes, clarifying and extending the photo images to what's going on under water. Brief captions provide the correct words for what can be seen (``Paired blowholes''; ``Humpback spout''; ``Tail-lobbing splash''; ``Footprint''; ``Spinning breach''); each photo is also labeled with common and Latin names. The journey is traced on a real nautical map; shots of sea and cetaceans are varied with appealing photos of a couple of kids watching them. Notes on the four species observed and a three- page ``visual glossary'' nicely extend the information. A book that should find many uses with readers of all ages; it should also be a prerequisite for reading Moby Dick. Production notes; bibliography. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 4+)