K-Gr 3 Vivid, dark, mostly realistic paintings are the highlight of this confusing book. Using an anthropomorphized dolphin to take children on a tour of her habitat, Nelson begins with a multicolored close-up of two dolphins, faced by the text "This is Naia." Which one? All of the animals Naia swims among are her friends; there's no discussion of predators, food, life cycles, etc. The text is banal and often is not a good match for the accompanying illustration. Small paintings that appear next to the text sometimes offer a better clue to the content than the large painting facing it, though they are misleading at times as well. Some of the factual information needs further explanation, and some is unclear. Sunken ships and ruins of ancient cities are touched on without explanation as is a volcano that seems to form a new island overnight. Nelson's aquatic paintings are lush and lovely, in the style of Wyland's famous whale murals, but without a well-written text, this book fails. Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL