In the World of Whales

Gr 2-4–Gr 2-4 An ocean diver encounters a pod of whales. What would already be a magnificent encounter is enriched when one of the whales gives birth! The young calf’s first breaths coincide with the diver surfacing for air. A kinship forms as the diver’s and whale’s movements coincide. Eventually, the whale pod leaves, and the diver surfaces from this life-altering experience. After a couple of books about decomposing whale corpses (including Lynn Brunelle and Jason Chin’s stunning Life After Whale), it is refreshing to have a book celebrating a whale birth. Vocabulary is advanced, but the writing is succinct. The text incorporates effervescent onomatopoeia with whooshing exhales and pfff-ing bubbles. Words are thoughtfully spaced on the page, and the layout often evokes movement. For instance, the word “down” repeats vertically, mimicking the diver’s descent. Lanan’s depiction of the ocean is masterful. The surface sparkles as if glitter is sprinkled on the page. Under the sea, dappled light shines on the whale family. The diver dances across the page, making elegant arcs and swirls with long, black fins. In one stunning spread, the diver and the baby whale seem impossibly small amidst the crowd of underwater leviathans. Back matter includes a detailed diagram of a female sperm whale’s internal structure, notes about free diving, and lengthy author and illustrator notes about their inspiration for this beautiful creation.