Review of Whale of Wonder

[Hunter Tester]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Whale of Wonder" by Marie-Paule Mahoney.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Journey through the Salish Sea with a family of orca whales! This group of whales consists of Mama Tahlequah and her son Notch. Through the consistent curiosity of Notch, we learn more and more about the whale species and also about their family. We find out that Mama lost a baby whale soon after she was born. However, she still carried her child 17 days afterward while she grieved. Notch is curious as to why she did this, and we get more insight into her grief as a mother. Throughout the story, we also see the harmful effects humans have had on the orca whale species.

There is so much I enjoyed about Whale of Wonder by Marie-Paule Mahoney. For one, the illustrations by Ginger Triplett are very well done! They are simple, but you also see how beautiful and complex the orca whale species is. They also divide the text well, making it easier to read for children. I also really like the ability the author has of teaching difficult subjects in a form that is easy to digest. Death and grief are not topics that we enjoy talking about. However, this book provides a way to open up the conversation to your children on the subject. We also learn about the important duty we each have to prevent the extinction of these great creatures. When going to Sea World in the past, I didn’t realize what they were doing to the whales was harmful. So that part in the story spoke directly to me.

There is nothing I disliked about this book. I think the mother’s name will be difficult to pronounce for children, but I also realize it is based on a true story. I also feel that the afterword may overwhelm the child with a lot of reading and words. On the other hand, parents can learn a lot by reading the afterword. The author describes many terms and details about the orca whale species. That part was very interesting, and you can tell the topic was well researched.

With that said, I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. I came to this conclusion based on the illustrations and the important lessons the author was able to teach through its few pages. The book may be short, but the reader will finish the book having a newfound respect for the majestic creatures. You will also find yourself feeling responsible, and you will become more conscious of how you treat the environment and these whales specifically. I also found this book to be professionally edited, having found only one minor spelling error.

I recommend this book to early readers and children ages 8-10. The vocabulary is easy to understand and the illustrations break up the story well. I also feel this could be a good book for parents to read to their children before bed. It can create conversations about death and grief, and also the importance of how we care for the environment.

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Whale of Wonder
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[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

Death and grief are not topics that we enjoy talking about. However, this book provides a way to open up the conversation to your children on the subject.

No, we don't. I think we want to shield children from such subjects but actually talking about them can make them kinder, more empathic people and could help them at the moment they encounter loss which, sadly, will happen sooner or later.

There is nothing I disliked about this book. I think the mother’s name will be difficult to pronounce for children, but I also realize it is based on a true story.

You make a good point, but I love the idea of sparkling kids' curiosity and connecting them with different cultures and languages.
Great review!

[Hunter Tester]

Death and grief are not topics that we enjoy talking about. However, this book provides a way to open up the conversation to your children on the subject.

No, we don't. I think we want to shield children from such subjects but actually talking about them can make them kinder, more empathic people and could help them at the moment they encounter loss which, sadly, will happen sooner or later.

There is nothing I disliked about this book. I think the mother’s name will be difficult to pronounce for children, but I also realize it is based on a true story.

You make a good point, but I love the idea of sparkling kids' curiosity and connecting them with different cultures and languages.
Great review!

Thanks so much for your kind comments! I was amazed to find that it was a true story after all.

[Kira Bonita Reece]

Seems like a fun book to read and learn about whales. Its enlightening to see the effects that our actions have on these species. I enjoyed reading your review

[Hunter Tester]

Seems like a fun book to read and learn about whales. Its enlightening to see the effects that our actions have on these species. I enjoyed reading your review

Thanks so much for checking out my review!!

[Ashley-Osuna]

This sounds like a great book to introduce the topic of death and grief as you mention, but also to raise children to be more environmentally conscious, which I think is very important nowadays. Thank you very much for the recommendation!

[Hunter Tester]

This sounds like a great book to introduce the topic of death and grief as you mention, but also to raise children to be more environmentally conscious, which I think is very important nowadays. Thank you very much for the recommendation!

Thanks so much for reading and for your comments! I got a lot out of this book, even though it was short.

[Stephanie Runyon]

Some people say animals don't have souls. I think how the mother whale carries her dead baby obviously proves otherwise. It is sad to know that they are severely endangered.

[Hunter Tester]

Some people say animals don't have souls. I think how the mother whale carries her dead baby obviously proves otherwise. It is sad to know that they are severely endangered.

Yes, it is sad to see. Hopefully more will be conscientious about the subject and be more careful of how we treat them. Thanks for reading my review!

[John Owen]

You seem to love children's books. But this should be a very educative book that would teach kids more about whales. I'll read it myself too.
Great review!

[Hunter Tester]

You seem to love children's books. But this should be a very educative book that would teach kids more about whales. I'll read it myself too.
Great review!

It’s the quickest ways to improve my score and get paid while doing it. I haven’t done a review in a long time though.

Thank you!!

[Cheryl Erickson]

You wrote an excellent review including many details that will surely encourage people to read this book. Whether you are experiencing grief, curious about the orca whales, or seeking knowledge about how to care for our Earth and its creatures, this sounds like a wonderful book. Well done!

[Christell Lindeque]

I love that this book teaches children about what negative effects humans have on the orca whales species and also that they can read about grief and death especially if they don't understand it yet and have lost someone. Great review.

[Hunter Tester]

You wrote an excellent review including many details that will surely encourage people to read this book. Whether you are experiencing grief, curious about the orca whales, or seeking knowledge about how to care for our Earth and its creatures, this sounds like a wonderful book. Well done!

Thanks so much!

[Hunter Tester]

I love that this book teaches children about what negative effects humans have on the orca whales species and also that they can read about grief and death especially if they don't understand it yet and have lost someone. Great review.

Thanks for reading my review!