"In the early morning before the wind of the day wakes up, before the Push of the tide changes to Pull, there is nothing to stir the mist that floats above the water. Nothing but me."
In the new novel from the author of the New York Times bestselling A Wolf Called Wander, a young orca whale must lead her brother on a tumultuous and dangerous journey to be reunited with their pod. This gorgeously illustrated novel explores family bonds, survival, global warming, pollution, and a changing seascape. An excellent read-aloud and read-alone, this companion to A Wolf Called Wander will captivate fans of The One and Only Ivan and animal survival stories. ---from the publisher
240 pages 978-0062995926 Ages 8-12
Keywords: orca whales, survival, environment, ocean, adventure, family, journey, self reliance, finding yourself, believing in yourself, matriarchy, 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old, 11 year old, 12 year old, coming of age, If You Liked a Wolf Called Wander
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There is something incredibly powerful about a whale. They are huge creatures in size but they also have spirits that hold mystery and wisdom. They are special creatures. So, to enter the world of the whales and specifically, the world of the orca whale, is opening the door to connections we don't truly understand, loyalty we can only hope to equal, and a magnificence of being that we simply stand and experience with awe and astonishment.
In A Whale of the Wild, Vega, an orca whale, is about to have her turn. An orca whale pod is led by the females. That's the way of these whales and Vega is being raised to step into the leadership. She's about to be chosen by the Greatmother to be the Wayfinder for her family.
A bit hesitantly and a lot hopefully she takes her place in the lead and swims the pod out into the ocean waters. The sound of a human boat can be heard. Vega knows she can out swim that boat and she leads her family forward. But, what Vega can do and what a pregnant mother whale can do and what a small brother whale can do are very different things. In her inexperience and her excitement she leads the into the dangerous path of the ship and they have to find their own way to safety.
How could she have done that? How could she have made such a mistake. Swimming off on her own she chastises herself and feels alone, sad and worried her chance that she may have lost her chance to lead forever.
These female whales all carry the names of stars shining above, Vega, Andromeda, Aquila. They are strong and wise and they know every inlet, every sand bar, every inch of their watery world. They are bound to each other through their family bonds and through the centuries of heritage.
But times are changing. The human world is intruding on the wild world of the whales and that intrusion is bringing poison and dangerous machines and nets and the whales are struggling to find their food and to bring their young safely into the world. Every whale knows hunger and every whale knows grief.
When Mother Nature decides to violently shake the world of the whales and the humans, creating destruction on land and in the sea, Vega is alone. Her Greatmother and her Mother are no where to be found no matter how many click streams she sends out to search for them. Vega's challenge will be to find her way, to find the courage and the wisdom inside herself to care for her young brother and eventually to care for the order of the natural world that is her forever home.
A Whale of the Wild shines with a reverence and respect for whales and their place on our planet. The story delivers a chance to go into the lives of these beautiful giants and experience their challenges, the fabric of their connections and the dangers they face after centuries of survival. We follow the journey of Vega as she faces challenges in her natural world and challenges inside herself.
A Whale of the Wild asks us what choices can we make now that will ensure that our great-granddaughters and great- grandsons will live in a world where whales still roam the oceans in their great wild way?
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
