Orca Song

Smithsonian's Oceanic Collection

by Michael C. Armour

This bountiful series introduces young readers to a myriad of animals who inhabit the earth's wet wonderlands. A Parents' Choice Approval for 19 title book and tape series. Each book includes an informative note and glossary full of fascinating facts confirmed by the Smithsonian Institution curators. Read-along cassettes incorporate authentic sea sounds, such as real-life recordings of dolphins and whales.
Unskilled Orca Pup gets caught in an abandoned net. Trapped and alone, will he ever hear the songs of his orca family again?

Genres: Animals, Science, Childrens, Picture Books, Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 1994

Reviews

[Tessa Zimmerly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: nonfiction/factionalized Biography
Grade: Pk/2nd

This is a very cute informational story. You learn a lot about how Orcas live and survive in the wild. You also learn how important family is to these animals.

[Kallie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiction
Grades K - 2
This book almost made me cry!!!!!!! Yes, it has a happy ending, but I am EMPATHIC. I could not handle the sadness of a baby orca being left alone for a night by his family. Plus, orcas are my favorite so that was a double whammy. Lovely book, though!

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute educational book with a narrative about an orca pup. Bought from a monthly Scholastic book catalog in elementary school.

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

What we have here, is an educational thriller!

[Julia Jasztal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mommy's review from 10/12/11 -


Something changed in me sometime lately. I never used to cry at "sad" things and now I'm so emotional I'll tear up at the slightest thing. (And NO I am NOT pregnant my friends.)
Well, I guess it's not a secret that this had me tearing up huh? And I still don't even know why. The first time I got choked up was when he was stuck on the sandbar and the illustrations shows human hands on the dolphins back, keeping him wet and pushing him back to sea.
The second time was when he got caught in the net. The poor little pup can't catch a break I swear.
I'll even admit there was a third time I got a little teary eyed. When he found his family at the end. Ugh... I used to be able to watch or read anything and not feel a thing! What's happening to me??!! I don't want to be a sap who cried when Bambi's mom gets shot. Help!!!!!!!
So, about the book, it's a good book, a good story, with okay illustrations. It's nothing close to being a favorite of mine or Julia's. It's not even in the running for a favorite book about dolphins. But it's a good book and like someone else mentioned there are some details included that teaches about the orca dolphins. How the dolphins echolocate is mentioned more than once I think, the family dynamic, etc. Through these details though is a story. It's not the sort of bland writing you'd expect from a purely educational book of the same subject.
It's a story worth reading no matter what but I'd even recommend seeking it out if you have a young dolphin lover in the family.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sprinkled with facts about orcas, this story follows an orca Pup who wanders away from the pod and becomes entangled in a fishman’s net. He escapes, but then finds himself beached. After being rescued by humans, he searches for his family and finds them through the orca song. Paintings by a zoological illustrator accurately detail the underwater sea life.

[♥ Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel awful, but have never been a big fan of this book.

[Sara Lemonade · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh geez...