Review of Whale of Wonder

[ciecheesemeister]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Whale of Wonder" by Marie-Paule Mahoney.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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With Whale of Wonder, author Marie-Paule Mahoney gives voice to Tahlequah, a Salish Sea orca who carried her deceased female calf on her head for seventeen days until she found a suitable resting place for the body. Magnificent illustrations by Ginger Triplett enhance this enchanting narrative based on true events.

Tahlequah gave birth to her calf off the coast of Victoria, British Columbia, in the summer of 2018. Born severely underweight, and thus lacking adequate blubber to stay afloat, Tahlequah’s daughter only survived for thirty minutes.

Through conversations between Tahlequah and her son Notch, the author explains how human behaviors threaten the health and well-being of marine life such as orcas. The depletion in the supply of fish such as salmon due to overfishing means that predators such as orcas are starving. The story also explains how pollution, and the practice of taking marine mammals such as orcas captive to display them in aquariums, is harmful to these majestic creatures.

The book was professionally edited. I found no errors in the text. Although categorized as a children’s book, the story is compelling and suitable for all ages. Any reader who loves animals and is concerned about their well-being will appreciate this tale. I could find nothing to dislike about the story.

Even though the book is suitable for all ages, more sensitive readers may be deeply saddened by the death of Tahlequah’s calf. The story provides a good opportunity for parents to talk to children about the realities of life and death and to encourage kids to be mindful of the health of our planet. My parents taught my brother and me to respect the lives of animals from the time we were very young, and I feel that this is an important lesson for all children to learn.

The care that went into creating Whale of Wonder shines through in its educational, easy-to-read narrative and lifelike pictures. The author includes several helpful resources at the end of the book. I appreciated this story and am pleased to give it four out of four stars.

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Whale of Wonder
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