Early in A. M. Juster’s new children’s picture book, Girlatee, a female manatee named Grace is separated from her parents. Propelled from their favorite eelgrass haunt by a passing motorboat, she finds herself stranded on the beach. Rather than helping, nearby beachgoers spectate. Pulling out their phones, they jostle for pictures with the frightened creature.

Juster smuggles a timely message into this breezy, lavishly illustrated book.