After Grandpa dies, a girl and her mother take the trip he had planned for her, kayaking along the Pacific west coast to look for the whales that he loved.
The trip will do them good, Mom says, but the girl isn’t sure. How can that be true when Grandpa isn’t there? And how will they find a whale in all that water, anyway?
There is so much to see as they paddle through white-tipped waves and calm coves: glowing moon jellies, fluttering anemones and slippery seals. All the while, the girl watches for whales. Could one be swimming beneath their kayak or along the shore of their camp? Are the whales even there?
Finally, in the dark of night, they hear them — pushhhhhhhh, pushhhhhhh — humpbacks breathing in the bay.
In this lyrical story, luminously illustrated by Crystal Smith, mom and daughter find the space to grieve Grandpa and reconnect with each other in the wild beauty of nature. And they come to realize that — perhaps like whales — those we’ve loved are always with us, even if we don’t see them anymore.
Key Text Features
illustrations
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
After Grandpa dies, a girl and her mother take the trip he had planned for her, kayaking along the Pacific west coast to look for the whales that he loved.
The trip will do them good, Mom says, but the girl isn’t sure. How can that be true when Grandpa isn’t there? And how will they find a whale in all that water, anyway?
There is so much to see as they paddle through white-tipped waves and calm coves: glowing moon jellies, fluttering anemones and slippery seals. All the while, the girl watches for whales. Could one be swimming beneath their kayak or along the shore of their camp? Are the whales even there?
Finally, in the dark of night, they hear them — pushhhhhhhh, pushhhhhhh — humpbacks breathing in the bay.
In this lyrical story, luminously illustrated by Crystal Smith, mom and daughter find the space to grieve Grandpa and reconnect with each other in the wild beauty of nature. And they come to realize that — perhaps like whales — those we’ve loved are always with us, even if we don’t see them anymore.
Key Text Features
illustrations
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Aug 1, 2023 |
| Specifications | 36 pages | 8.625 in x 11.25 in |
| Keywords | maritime; camping; beauty in nature; habitats and ecosystems; loss of a grandparent; memorial; under the sea; underwater life; road trip; magical realism; acceptance; independence; grief and loss; grief and loss; bereavement; discovery; environmentalism; far from home; |
|
Supporting Resources
(select item to download) |
Guide |
| Written By |
KIRSTEN PENDREIGH is a children’s author and poet from Vancouver, BC. Her books celebrate our early instincts to care for the plants and creatures that share our planet. She is the author of Luna’s Green Pet, illustrated by Carmen Mok. Kirsten’s poems can be found in Canadian literary magazines and in Best Canadian Poetry 2021. Formerly a CBC and NPR journalist, Kirsten also writes non-fiction for children. |
| Illustrated by |
CRYSTAL SMITH is the daughter of a lighthouse keeper who discovered her passion for wildlife when she was small. She illustrates the natural world to spark curiosity and wonder, kindle concern and illuminate issues. She has also illustrated Mother Aspen, written by Annette LeBox. Crystal currently lives in Victoria, BC. |
| Written By |
|
KIRSTEN PENDREIGH is a children’s author and poet from Vancouver, BC. Her books celebrate our early instincts to care for the plants and creatures that share our planet. She is the author of Luna’s Green Pet, illustrated by Carmen Mok. Kirsten’s poems can be found in Canadian literary magazines and in Best Canadian Poetry 2021. Formerly a CBC and NPR journalist, Kirsten also writes non-fiction for children. |
| Illustrated by |
|
CRYSTAL SMITH is the daughter of a lighthouse keeper who discovered her passion for wildlife when she was small. She illustrates the natural world to spark curiosity and wonder, kindle concern and illuminate issues. She has also illustrated Mother Aspen, written by Annette LeBox. Crystal currently lives in Victoria, BC. |
| Audience | ages 3 to 6 / grades P to 1 |
| Key Text Features | illustrations |
| Common Core |
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4 |
Runner-up, Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picture Book of the Year Award, 2024
Commended, Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year, 2024
Commended, Horn Book Fanfare, 2023
Short-listed, BC and Yukon Book Prizes, Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize, 2024
Short-listed, City of Victoria Children's Book Prize, 2024
Short-listed, Chocolate Lily Book Awards, Picture Book Category, 2024
This story [will] remind readers of the unpredictability of life.
” —New York TimesA quiet, comforting story.
” —Wall Street JournalIllustrations with watery backgrounds blur the line between sea and sky, showing mother and daughter in fog and rain, at twilight and dawn—in liminal moments that echo their grief … A tender testament to love and loss. STARRED REVIEW
” —Horn BookPendreigh's evocative text alternates between narration and the protagonist's inner thoughts, offering excellent conversation starters for helping children deal with loss.
” —KirkusSmith's depictions ... are jaw-dropping. A moving meditation on grief.
” —School Library JournalSmith's impressionistic art style breathes life into Pendreigh's lyrical text in this moving picture book about the strong connection between grandfather and granddaughter.
” —Bulletin of the Center for Children's BooksTold with an understated sensitivity, Maybe a Whale offers readers a lesson on grieving and the value of fulfilling promises even to the dead. Told with great care and supported by lovely illustrations that take the reader into the world of northern waters and whales, this is a life lesson to readers.
” —Children's Literature Comprehensive DatabaseA beautiful story about a mother and daughter's journey to heal from their grief and to reconnect with each other and the ocean.
” —CM: Canadian Review of MaterialsA poignant story of a grieving mother and daughter who find solace in nature and in each other's company. A range of emotions — sorrow, wonder, peace — are lyrically intertwined and expressed.
” —Canadian Children's Book NewsKirsten Pendreigh takes a less boisterous, more poetic approach [and] illustrator Crystal Smith ... does a masterful job.
” —Montreal GazetteReminds us that memories can keep loved ones close, even when they're gone.
” —Hakai Magazine