Whales
I feel so lucky to be alive at a time that whale numbers are recovering after many species were driven close to extinction through whaling. Nothing has ever taken my breath away quite like the time I watched a mother humpback teach her baby how to breach for hours off the coast of Broome.
Even here in the metro area we are sometimes fortunate enough to see a humpback off the coast or even a blue whale if you venture further out to sea.
They surely are the most majestic creatures of the deep.
Whale Books
The boy and the whale / Michael Moniz. | Cockburn Libraries (spydus.com)
This is a sweet book about a lonely boy who lives by the sea. He loves fishing, and one day he hears a haunting cry. The boy discovers a whale tangled in a discarded net and goes about freeing the distressed animal.
A little time later the boy is in peril. Guess who comes to his rescue.
The Boy and the Whale reads like a traditional folk tale with a moral and life lessons. The illustrations are subtle yet delightful.
Fluke / Lesley Gibbes ; illustrated by Michelle Dawson. | Cockburn Libraries (spydus.com)
Fluke is a story about a baby Southern Right Whale being born in Sydney Harbour. It tells the tale about how the people of Sydney were absolutely entranced with the mother and baby and how special it was for them both to be in the harbour.
The narrative is based on a few real events and have been amalgamated into the one story.
The illustrations are beautiful, and the story is quite endearing. I particularly like the facts about Southern Right Whales on the inside cover of this book.
Walk of the whales / Nick Bland. | Cockburn Libraries (spydus.com)
I cannot over emphasise how much I adore this book. An Honours Book in 2022’s CBCA Book of the Year – Early Childhood, Walk of the Whales is a brilliant picture book.
The whales of the world walk from the sea and take over the land. People have to make many changes to accommodate the whales, and this leads to fear and resentment. One smart little girl decides to ask the whales why they left the ocean, and the people get together to right the wrong that they have caused.
Nick Bland has a beautiful writing style and his illustrations in this book are spot on.
Whale Song
Whale Craft
What you’ll need:
3D Whale template (link below)
Scissors
Glue or tape
Crayons or pencils to colour the whale
KROKOTAK PRINT! | printables for kids
What to do:
Colour the whale
Cut out all the pieces, cutting only along the solid lines
Assemble the whale by folding along the dotted lines and using tape or glue to hold the pieces in place.
