Youngsters will be able to learn about the wonders of puffer fish during a special Kids Hour Saturday at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute this week.

The session, which is open to children aged 5 to 12, will feature the screening of two short films followed by a book reading.

In the first film, What’s Inside a Pufferfish?, viewers will learn what makes the fish balloon. Guests will discover how these fish ward off predators, with specialist interviews from Elizabeth Brainerd, of Brown University.

The short documentary Pufferfishes, Boxfishes & Porcupinefishes explores the wide variety of colourful and spiky fish types, from the blue spotted puffer fish to spot-fin porcupine fish.

Author and illustrator Ellie Peterson will then give a reading of her book How to Hug a Pufferfish.

The hour-long session will be held twice on Saturday — at 11am and 2pm.

Entrance is free to BUEI members and $4 for non-members.

Next month’s Kids Hour will take place on August 18 and will focus on the Bermuda land crab.

To register for BUEI’s Kids Hour Saturdays, call the Oceans Gift Shop on 294-0204.