Review by Booklist Review
Orca behavior, and the incredible true life of one orca in particular, are revealed through the eyes of fictional Mia, a girl on a whale-watching trip with her family in the San Juan Islands. Here Granny, a 105-year-old orca, born before the Titanic sank, presides over three pods of whales. As people on shore listen with hydrophones and headphones, the orcas, who can travel many miles a day, call to one another beneath the waves. Mia reflects on the threats that human carelessness can pose to orcas and their environment, as the whales arrive, breaking the surface of the water. An ending spread provides more detail about orcas and their abilities, Granny's pods, and Granny herself, who died, researchers believe, in 2016 at 105. The fictional framework, though occasionally stilted, will help keep younger readers engaged, and Minor's full-bleed paintings of the orcas and their admirers, especially the underwater scenes, are stunning. An intriguing, visually appealing introduction to a remarkable animal.--Maggie Reagan Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-On the longest day of the year, people gather in the San Juan Islands to celebrate returning wild orcas. Loosely based on an actual "superpod" episode in 2008 (though it is never disclosed in the text), this sweet tale of waiting to welcome pods J, K, and L, led by Granny, the matriarch, serves as a framework to introduce the largest species in the dolphin family. With her researching parents, Mia listens with a hydrophone, thinking about the orcas' sophisticated communication and sonar. She worries about environmental threats, and watches for "bright blows of orca breath." Readers learn about orca travels, childcare, and an earlier stranding. Finally, all three pods arrive. The orcas leap and spin, clicking, calling, and whistling. Granny waves a flipper at Mia. In the back matter, readers learn that Granny was probably 105 when she disappeared in 2016. The author explains that "killer whales" is inappropriate for these salmon-eaters but she refers to them as whales throughout. She adds additional information and suggests ways for readers to get involved in conservation efforts. Minor's glorious gouache paintings capture the joy of the day, setting the stage, introducing the characters-both human and dolphin-and showing these gymnasts in action; Granny even spyhops in a rotated spread. Members of the Samish Indian Nation, a group that feel close ties to these extraordinary aquatic mammals, appear in the festival spread though they aren't mentioned in the text. The endpapers are helpful maps. VERDICT An engaging, possibly inspiring addition to any nature collection.-Kathleen Isaacs, Children's Literature Specialist, Pasadena, MD © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Mia and her family gather on the San Juan Islands to see if Granny, a (real-life) 105-year-old orca whale, will appear. Mia's reflections relate facts about orcas' family structure, habitat, and endangered status. The humans cheer as Granny and her family appear--with new babies--and entertain the crowd with leaps and singing, elegantly rendered in Minor's gouache-watercolor paintings. More orca information is appended. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young girl named Mia is the main character of this story about orcas living in the San Juan Islands of Washington state. Mia's father is a scientist who studies the whales, and she has grown up learning about orcas from him. She explains in an engaging way how the whales live in pods and how they communicate with their own distinct sounds. Much of the factual information focuses on Granny, a senior leader of three whale pods, who lived to be over 100 years old. Evocative watercolor illustrations show the appealing whales swimming and communicating, with the text integrating the whales' signature sounds into the story. Dangers to the whales are briefly discussed, with a hopeful conclusion showing all three whale pods swimming playfully together. One arresting spread requires turning the book from landscape to portrait orientation so that Granny's huge size can be spotlighted as she seems ready to leap out from the page. Mia and her mother have golden-tan skin and straight, black hair; her father has light skin. Background characterspeople who've come to the island to await the whales and sing for themhave a variety of skin tones. An author's note offers more information about orcas, and the endpapers provide an arresting map showing the Pacific Northwest superimposed over a huge orca. An informative and entertaining introduction to this intriguing endangered species. (Informational picture book. 5-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
