Whale Child tells the story of a little girl who is separated from her family and her village after a great earthquake. Escaping the shoreline in a canoe, she is swept far out to sea. Though lost and afraid, she realizes she is not alone. A grey whale is quietly guiding her to an unknown place—a secluded bay where the whale and many of her kind have gathered to welcome the new generation. Here, the grey whale gives birth to a daughter, and when the baby whale draws her first breath, she absorbs the spirit of the lost little girl. As one, the whale and the girl find their way back to the girl’s village, where the girl—now strengthened by the spirit of the whale—is reunited with her family. Told in Caroll Simpson’s signature lyrical writing style and beautifully illustrated with paintings that take inspiration from the traditional culture and natural environment of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Whale Child is sure to enchant children ages five to eight.
