Walrus vs. Elephant Seal
From the Set Animal Showdowns
Watch the showdown between the walrus and the elephant seal, two tough hunters of the ocean. The walrus uses its long tusks to stay safe from polar bears and orcas. But can it win against the big seal with sharp teeth? The elephant seal has a strong hide and is used to fights with other seals. But this match is different. The walrus has sharp, long tusks. Who will win: the strong seal or the tusky walrus?
SLJ Review of Animal Showdowns
Gr. 3-5 – This new entry in the field of animal battle books takes readers through ten rounds of an imagined fight, supported by interesting facts and solid visuals. Lively present-tense narration describes each stage of the conflict, with points awarded for each section and a running total throughout. Most animal facts are related to predation and defense, with some additional information noted in fact boxes. Some of these pairs could actually meet in the wild; this is usually, but not always, stated clearly in the text. Photographs of combatants highlight features and behaviors related to the fight, such as the zebra’s kick (Giraffe vs. Zebra) and the tiger shark’s teeth (Leopard Seal vs. Tiger Shark). Most show only one of the animals, though staged images in Scorpion vs. Tarantula and an actual photo of two foxes fighting in Arctic Fox vs. Red Fox are particularly satisfying. VERDICT: Strong additions to this popular sub-section of animal books.