The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish by Chloe Savage

Dr Morley is determined that somewhere out in the icy waters, 

they will find the elusive giant Arctic jellyfish.

They see narwhals; icebergs; beluga whales; seals; killer whales; and polar bears. The crew decorate their deck with a huge snow man. But there is no sight of the famed jellyfish.

"They wonder, just maybe, is the giant Arctic jellyfish really just a myth after all?"

Perhaps it is time to turn around and head home?

Meanwhile young readers have spotted something huge under the water - I can hear them calling out to Dr Morley - she is looking the wrong way!

This voyage may be fictional, but the frustrations—and joys—of scientific exploration are real indeed. Whimsical and wonderful. Kirkus Star review

This magical illustrated book sparkles with a seamless blend of scientific endeavour, magical adventure and passion for the wild. Chloe Savage’s enchanting debut is a journey to the end of the Earth that will charge the imaginations of younger readers with an appetite for adventure. Children's Book of the Month, BBC Wildlife

But enchanting as the story is, it’s only half of the feast. The illustrations are really stunning and tell a secondary story as the giant jellyfish trails the searching boat, artfully slipping out of sight at the crucial moment. Younger readers will be thrilled to see how the jellyfish outwits the scientists until it's ready to be found. There are more than a few echoes of the great Michael Foreman in Savage’s drawing style and her use of a wonderful range of blues only serves to underline the influence. I also loved the use of cross-sections of the boat to illustrate the dedication, order and dedication of the crew at work. Letter Press Project

There are elements of Where’s Wally? in the story as the jellyfish is shown hiding and watching the explorers, and children may well enjoy the sense that they know more than the characters. The small figures of the scientists contrast with the scale of the land and seascapes, ...  Some readers may also enjoy researching the history of real polar expeditions and identifying the facts and figures behind the largest jellyfish ever found. I enjoyed the combination of fiction and fact in this sparkling, playful story – highly recommended. Just Imagine

See inside this book here. My favourite pages are the ones showing the cross sections of the ship with all the crew engaged in different activities. I also love this title page:

This book has been short listed for the Yoto Carnegie award (formerly the Kate Greenaway Medal). The search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish is a debut picture book for Chole Savage so that is a huge honour. This book is available in paperback here in Australia and at a great price.

Here are the judges' comments: The stunning use of blue and white to represent the cold contrasts with the burnt orange of the ship.  Humour and playfulness in the illustrations helps to create tonal variation from the text. Dr Morley is female and is shown to be confident and comfortable with her role, and whilst being shown as authoritative, she is also adventurous and curious. There’s an assured quality to the continuity in the smallest of details with bins filling up, boxes of provisions dwindling and body language becoming more despondent and tempers fraying as the search progresses. Every character is given expression and so has motivation and stories attached to them. The watercolour paintings are great, friendly and fun. It’s a vibrant and lively story. Despite being a non-fiction text, the illustrations provide stories as well as the opportunity to learn about deep water exploration. Readers not only witness Dr Morley’s search but can actively engage in hunting for the jellyfish on each page as we are given glimpses into other-worldly underwater environments in the Arctic.

Awards:

• Carnegie Medal for Illustration SHORTLIST 2024
• Waterstone Children's Book Prize BEST ILLUSTRATED BOOK WINNER 2024 
• The Sunday Times and Financial Times Books of the Year 2022 
• Stanford's Children’s Book of the Month November 2022 
• Starred Reviews from: Kirkus, Shelf Awareness, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal 
• As Featured Wall Street Journal and BBC Wildlife Magazine
• Klaus Fugge Prize Long List 2023 

This book is fiction (it is a picture book), but I was interested to see that the library I visit each week have placed it in Non-Fiction [593.53] with other books about jellyfish. This actually seems like a good idea because hopefully the young students who browse the shelves and borrow this book will also take home one or two other books about jellyfish - they are such curious creatures.

Jellyfish - here in Australia we have several that cause problems and one that can even kill you! The Box Jellyfish can be found in the tropical waters of Northern Australia and their sting can cause serious symptoms or even death.

Image source: A to Z animals