Begin with the scrumptious end papers - birds flying across the page at the front and a majestic whale with her calf at the back. In this illustrated non fiction book you will read about the journey of the humpback whale and the arctic tern. The whale travels 5000km or 10,000km for the round trip and then in the warmer waters she gives birth to her calf. But the Tern flies even further - "in her lifetime, the Arctic tern will travel the distance of three trips to the moon and back!"
On the final pages you can see a map of their journeys.
Recently a teaching colleague asked me to suggest books about animal migration for her Grade 2 classes to read alongside Circle by Jeannie Baker. In a serendipitous moment I saw this book at another school library this week - perfect!
Here are some text examples which show the lyricism of this writing:
"A polar bear turns his shaggy white head to look up."
"The ragged silhouette of a whale's tail disappeared below the sea's surface."
"Thrown sideways by fierce, icy gusts, the tiny bird struggles to lift herself out of danger. She swoops and sinks in the sky, flying perilously close to the waves."
The Sea Swallow and the Humpback Whale is an essential purchase for Primary school libraries. It is beautifully designed and available for a reasonable price. Take a look here to see art by UK illustrator Gerry Turley. His partner is the illustrator of the How to hide a Lion series.
Catherine Barr has a new book due for publication in May, 2021.
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