The Ultimate Book of Whales: Up-Close Encounters With Earth's Mightiest Mammals

by Brian Skerry, Stephanie Warren Drimmer

Plunge into the wondrous world of humpbacks, dolphins, and every cetacean in between with famed National Geographic Explorer and photographer Brian Skerry as your guide.

This gorgeous compendium features all of the major whale species, from blue whales to belugas, right whales to minke whales, narwhals to orcas, and even dolphins. (Yes, dolphins are whales, too!) Get the inside scoop on how these beloved ocean mammals live, what they eat, and how they hunt, play, communicate, and care for their young.

Discover which whales have epic underwater battles with giant squid, why scientists think dolphins have unique names for each other, the challenges these animals face, and much more. With breathtaking photography, the latest science, and exclusive behind-the-lens stories from Skerry—including the time he rescued a baby whale caught in a lobster line—this book is a fascinating dive into all things whale. You’ll feel like you’re swimming right alongside these magnificent mammals.

Complete your collection
The Ultimate Book of Sharks The Ultimate Book of African Animals The Ultimate Book of Big Cats The Ultimate Book of Reptiles

Genres: Childrens

192 pages, Hardcover

Published June 10, 2025

About the author

Brian Skerry is a photojournalist and visual storyteller specializing in marine wildlife and underwater environments. Since 1998 he has been a contributing photographer for National Geographic Magazine covering stories on every continent and in nearly every ocean habitat. In 2014 he was named as a National Geographic Society PhotographyFellow and then named a National Geographic Society Storytelling Fellow in 2017. In 2017 he was also awarded the title of Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year.

For National Geographic Magazine, Brian has produced a wide range of stories, from the harp seal’s struggle to survive in frozen waters to the alarming decrease in the world’s fisheries to dolphin intelligence, all cover stories. A fourth cover story, in February 2017 focused on protecting ocean ecosystems in US waters and during this coverage Brian produced the first images of a sitting US President underwater. He is currently at work on his 29th story for NGM.

Brian’s work has also been featured in publications such as The NY Times, TheWashington Post, Paris Match, Esquire, and Audubon. He is the author of 12 books including the acclaimed monographs Ocean Soul and SHARK. His latest book, Secrets of the Whales will be released in April 2021 by National Geographic as part of a multiplatform project he created that includes a cover story in National Geographic magazineand a 4-part documentary filmseries on Disney +.

Brian is an 11-time award winner in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and has also been recognized with awards from Pictures of the Year International, Nature’s Best and Communication Arts. He the only photographer to win the coveted Peter Benchley Award for Excellence in Media. In 2010 National Geographic magazine named one of Brian’s images among their 50 Greatest Photographs of All Time and in 2016 he was awarded the National Geographic Photographer’s PhotographerAward, an honor bestowed by his colleagues, other National Geographic photographers. The Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences awarded Brian the 2019 NOGI Award for Arts, an award frequently referred to as the ‘Underwater Oscar’ and in 2020 he received the President’s Award from the Conservation Law Foundation.

Brian frequently lectures on ocean exploration, storytelling and conservation having presented at venues such as The United Nations General Assembly, The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, TED Talks, The National Press Club in Washington, DC, The Royal Geographical Society in London and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

He has had numerous solo photographer exhibits including Portraits of Planet Ocean, a two-year exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC and Ocean Soul at Visa pour l’image in Perpignan, France. Other exhibits of his work have been held in cities worldwide including Geneva, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Shanghai. Brian is the Explorer-In-Residence and a Trustee at the New England Aquarium, a founding member of the International League of Conservation Photographers and a Fellow National of The Explorers Club. He also serves as a Nikon Ambassador.

Reviews

[Analie]

I enjoyed this book very much. Before reading this, I had no idea that some kinds of dolphins live in rivers or that some whales can communicate across thousands of miles. The huge photographs of whale encounters with Brian Skerry make this a fun book for both kids and adults alike.

[BethFishReads]

If it's a National Geographic Kids (NGK) book then you know it's going to include eye-popping photographs and terrific illustrations. This comprehensive book on whales (and dolphins) doesn't disappoint.

The author covers all kinds of whales from all over the world. We learn "amazing facts," such as how whales communicate, what they eat, and how they play. We also learn about their migration paths and how they raise their young. There's even useful information on how to get involved with protecting these giants of our oceans.

One of neat things about this book is that we get a taste of what it's like to spend time observing whales. The author even shares a few of his "wow moments," such as the time a mother whale trusted him enough to leave her offspring alone with him.

Animal lovers, whale enthusiasts, and budding marine biologists will find a lot to learn in this book.

The Ultimate Book of Whales is a resource that will become a permanent part of your family's library.

Thanks to National Geographic for the review copy.

[Erin Buhr]

National Geographic Kids does such a great job on nonfiction for kids. This is the whale book I wish I had owned when I was a kid. It is packed full of stunning photographs and information about all aspects of whales. Different types, their anatomy, how they find food and more is packed into this guide to everything whales.

[Lunar]

What a beautiful book!! So many wonderful whale stories and photos and facts! The very last story about Digit the sperm whale was so heartwarming. I love whales!!