Starred review from August 15, 2020
A whale child and his mother share a dream of their human relatives. The whale child has been chosen to turn into human form and teach the lessons of the ocean to his human sister, Alex, who lives in the Pacific Northwest with her Coast Salish mother and Polynesian father. For several days, the whale in boy form leads Alex on an environmental learning journey, taking her on daily walks to educate her about the negative impact that human culture has had on the environment. He teaches Alex about water pollution, overfishing, and climate change that inevitably leads to the extinction of many animal species and the destruction of ecosystems. When he returns to the ocean in his original whale form, it is up to Alex now to teach what she has learned to other humans. Vivid illustrations juxtapose the beauty and scale of the natural world that the children explore. The story is followed by extensive backmatter: a glossary of environmental terms, a brief history of the Pacific Northwest Native cultures, classroom learning activities, and ideas for student projects. Infusing qualities of traditional storytelling into the narrative, Keith Egawa (Lummi) and Chenoa Egawa (Lummi and S'Klallam) offer a perspective on climate change from the lens of Indigenous people. By relating the tale through the eyes of children, the author-illustrator team evokes an empathy that should stir a wide audience. This necessary read decolonizes the Western construction of climate change. (Fiction. 7-12)
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September 1, 2020
Gr 3-6-A young whale turns into a human boy for a day in order to teach a girl respect for the natural world. Shiny, the whale child, and Alex, the human girl, learn about water, animals, pollution, and personal responsibility as they travel the coast and witness the damage wrought by humans, including Shiny's mother getting caught in a fisherman's net. After Shiny returns to the sea, Alex teaches her peers to fight for the Earth. Egawa's full-page watercolor illustrations are richly detailed and add a sense of magic to the text, even when depicting the costs of human littering. A glossary of terms, classroom resources, and background information on the Coast Salish people of the Pacific Northwest complete the text. While the environmental message is strong, dialogue is often awkward and stilted, and the characters veer more to being pedagogical tools than fully realized personalities. It's clear that the authors have great respect and care for the subject matter at hand and for the Coast Salish people. VERDICT This text has much to offer, but may struggle to find its audience. Purchase where environmental read-alouds are popular.-Kelsey Socha, Springfield City Lib., MA
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