The Whale Who Swam Through Time

May 9, 2022
Boersma and Pyenson’s debut picture book, a reverent fictional tale of a bowhead whale, spans two centuries, centering the world’s longest-living mammal while focusing attention on environmental changes that threaten it and other species. Checking in with the bowhead as a calf—and then again in 50-year increments—the narrative details human impacts on the Arctic habitat, such as whaling ships and plastics pollution. Watercolor, gouache, and ink illustrations begin with the young whale in tranquil frozen seascapes before depicting discomfiting scenes of global warming and industrialization, including submarines, oil rigs, and ships. In a striking penultimate scene, the bowhead’s progeny seemingly swim upward into a night sky, their constellation-like appearance perhaps hinting at an unclear future for the creatures, before end lines conclude with hope: “Bowhead whales are used to swimming through uncertain waters.” Back matter includes an authors’ note, scientific facts, and notes about other Arctic creatures. Ages 4–8.

March 15, 2022
Meet a beautiful denizen of the sea. Bowhead whales are the longest-living mammals on Earth--they can live for over 200 years--and spend their entire, mostly solitary, lives in and around the Arctic. This well-written nonfiction title provides an up-close-and-personal look at one endearing female bowhead, drawing young readers in and evoking empathy. Boersma and Pyenson recount the various perils she faces, including predators and changes to her habitat due to technological advances and climate change. The economical text describes the majestic creature's characteristics and behavior and incrementally tracks her development from infancy to adulthood through four stages, each spanning 50 years. The book's warm portrayal of the very vocal whale is occasionally slightly anthropomorphic, but this enhances its appeal to the young target audience, as does the liberal use of evocative onomatopoeic words, rendered in large capitals. The pleasant realistic illustrations, created with watercolor, gouache, and colored inks and finished digitally, are soft and lively and appropriately emphasize blues, whites, and the vastness of the ocean. Sharp-eyed readers will note various Arctic animals who share the bowhead's habitat. Details in the scenery, both on land and at sea, reflect the various historical periods. Excellent backmatter material includes additional facts about bowheads and information about other Arctic creatures, the Northwest Passage, and Inuit people in the Arctic. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A fine introduction for whale aficionados and a clarion call for climate change awareness. (author's note) (Informational picture book. 4-8)

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May 15, 2022
Grades 1-3 Readers will meet a young bowhead calf and follow her on a 100-plus year journey through the Arctic as she learns how to break through ice and find food and reaches adulthood and bears her own calves. As the bowhead whale ages, the Arctic around her morphs. Small rowboats and sailboats become submarines and cargo and cruise ships. Oil rigs and drills appear, and the bowhead faces new dangers: hunting, warmer oceans, noise pollution, less sea ice, oil spills, and plastic pollution. Clear and well written, the text provides facts about the bowhead whale and the changing world around her, while the realistic illustrations provide a close-up look at the beautiful and increasingly dangerous Arctic. Back matter includes an author's note, followed by informative text which provides additional information on how bowheads eat, their age, how they communicate, and the people who call the Arctic home. An excellent nonfiction picture book about a unique and beautiful creature and the dangers climate change is bringing.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2022

K-Gr 4-This is a fascinating glimpse of what a bowhead whale might have seen over her lifetime in the last 200 years. The whale's story starts in her infancy-when she's still nursing from her mother and learning about all the things in the ocean around her, including ships. As her life continues, she becomes a mother and teaches her own calf about how to find food and avoid predators, such as humans. The book covers the impact of humans on whales through increased shipping traffic, oil drilling in the Arctic, and decreased sea ice. The authors include back matter, such a diagram of whale anatomy, information about other arctic animals, as well as information about the people who live in the Arctic, and provides readers with background, and ideas for further questions and research. Beautiful artwork offers a means for understanding the scale as well as the grandeur of the location. This would be an excellent introduction to a unit of Arctic study or a discussion of the impact of global climate change. VERDICT Narrative nonfiction at its best, helping readers understand the impact of global warming or even simply wildlife from a unique perspective.-Debbie Tanner

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2022
During its lifespan, a bowhead whale, "the longest living mammal in the world," experiences both physical growth and environmental change, creating the dual focus of this touching and informative narrative. Readers meet one particular (imagined) bowhead -- a female that spends her entire life in the Arctic -- throughout four distinct time segments: two hundred years ago, one hundred fifty years ago, fifty years ago, and the present. Each section opens with a soft-hued, double-page illustration depicting the same setting. In this place, the calf begins life in the peaceful ocean, surrounded by snow and ice and abundant wildlife. As the narrative progresses, several navigation ships appear, seemingly harmless, but precursors to nineteenth-century whalers with their deadly harpoons, and later oil rigs and submarines. In the present, the once-quiet Arctic is not only noisy, making whale song communication difficult, but also an area that now includes cruise and cargo ships, oil spills, plastic waste, and abandoned fishing nets. Dramatic watercolor and gouache illustrations, primarily in deep blue, black, and white, depict changes on land and sea: receding ice; fewer walruses and polar bears; factories and settlements replacing igloos. Extensive authors' notes provide scientific information on bowheads; brief descriptions of other Arctic animals depicted in the illustrations; and historical overviews of whaling, the Indigenous people of the region, and the search for the Northwest Passage; and acknowledge the limitations of anthropomorphizing the central subject. Betty Carter

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2022
During its lifespan, a bowhead whale, "the longest living mammal in the world," experiences both physical growth and environmental change, creating the dual focus of this touching and informative narrative. Readers meet one particular (imagined) bowhead -- a female that spends her entire life in the Arctic -- throughout four distinct time segments: two hundred years ago, one hundred fifty years ago, fifty years ago, and the present. Each section opens with a soft-hued, double-page illustration depicting the same setting. In this place, the calf begins life in the peaceful ocean, surrounded by snow and ice and abundant wildlife. As the narrative progresses, several navigation ships appear, seemingly harmless, but precursors to nineteenth-century whalers with their deadly harpoons, and later oil rigs and submarines. In the present, the once-quiet Arctic is not only noisy, making whale song communication difficult, but also an area that now includes cruise and cargo ships, oil spills, plastic waste, and abandoned fishing nets. Dramatic watercolor and gouache illustrations, primarily in deep blue, black, and white, depict changes on land and sea: receding ice; fewer walruses and polar bears; factories and settlements replacing igloos. Extensive authors' notes provide scientific information on bowheads; brief descriptions of other Arctic animals depicted in the illustrations; and historical overviews of whaling, the Indigenous people of the region, and the search for the Northwest Passage; and acknowledge the limitations of anthropomorphizing the central subject.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)