A Whale of the Wild

Voice of the Wilderness #2

by Rosanne Parry, Lindsay Moore (Illustrator)

Vega, una orca joven, está destinada a convertirse en la matriarca y guía de su clan. Conoce todas las bahías y los cabos de su estuario, ha visto los barcos que oscurecen el agua con sus sombras y ruidos y lo sabe todo sobre el salmón, que para ella y los suyos es sinónimo de vida. Pero, de pronto, un día, el océano ruge y estalla separándolos a ella y a su hermano pequeño, Deneb, del resto de su manada. Aunque Vega ya no reconoce el paisaje, no sabe adónde ir, debe utilizar todas sus habilidades aprendidas para reunirse con su familia. Así emprenderán un viaje en el que les acecharán múltiples peligros, desde el ataque de un tiburón o los desconocidos seres marinos que se ocultan en las profundidades ignotas y el hambre hasta las aguas contaminadas que cada vez se extienden más. ¿Conseguirá Vega guiar a su hermano hasta su clan? ¿Se convertirá en la líder que está destinada a ser?

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Animals, Childrens, Adventure, Audiobook, Young Adult

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Hey there,
I'm the author of several novels for young readers, including the NY Times best seller, A WOLF CALLED WANDER and A WHALE OF THE WILD. There is information about all my books on my website.
I write because I love the power of story to illuminate and uplift our world. I try to write things that are heartfelt and encourage conversation in families and classrooms. If you wanted to ask me a question or invite me to come speak at your school or library, I'd love that. There's a contact me area on my website

When I'm not writing I try to be an advocate for literacy and libraries whenever I can. I like to read (obviously) and hike and dance and go to the beach and play the harp and write in my treehouse.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was an emotional tour de force for me! I’ve always been interested in whales and love the Pacific NW (I’ve visited the areas where this story takes place) and that, along with the enthusiastic recommendation of a GoodReads friend (thanks, Abigail!) made me feel I would enjoy this. Yet, I wasn’t expecting to be quite so deeply touched. Parry skillfully mixes exciting drama with tender moments, weaving in fascinating information about orcas and marine life in the Salish Sea with special emphasis on the threats they face due to pollution (both noise pollution and chemical pollution). Told from the perspective of the orcas, we alternate POVs between Vega (a young female orca on the cusp of becoming a wayfinder like the matriarchs but who still has much to learn) and her little brother Daneb (who wishes to be strong and brave like his uncle but is still full of youthful energy and fun). Two tragic events force them to rely on one another and their own emerging strengths and wisdom to survive apart from the pod. Though it’s been almost a month since I finished this, each event in the story still feels very vivid to me. Do note that I urge caution for sensitive readers, particularly those who are sensitive about animal welfare, as the book has several tragedies that were very hard for me to read about. including the stillbirth of Vega’s baby sister, the ongoing fear of hunger-induced dementia among the whales, and the haunting reminiscences of the time Vega’s aunt and cousins were stolen by humans (I think we are to assume for the entertainment industry) and the massive earthquake and tsunami that destroy much of the coastline (mention is made of the destruction to human buildings, as well, bridges collapse, cars floating in the water…) This is a middle grade novel, and the lead characters being animals might make one think it is for younger kids, but I think I would recommend it for ages ten and up (and even then with some caution for sensitive readers).
The world and voice of the whales feels fully realized and the way they perceive humans and their boats, etc. felt very believable. I learned so much about orcas such as how different pods (even in the same general geographic region) speak different dialects and can’t really understand one another and how they have each specialized to hunt only certain types of prey (Vega and Daneb hunt salmon, so the main focus is on how the waning salmon population is causing them to go hungry and also causing fertility issues and stillbirths causing still greater challenges to the orca population). While often heartbreaking, the final message is one of hope and I appreciate that humans aren’t entirely villainized and are shown as culpable for some of the tragedies yet also victims of another the massive earthquake and tsunami that wipes out much of the coast The end was deeply touching, showing how we are all connected and that we can affect one another for better or for worse. On the one hand, I was a bit surprised at the final chapter as it did not resolve a certain plot point, yet, upon reflection, I feel that it was actually the perfect ending, not impossibly happy-ever-after yet also filled with strength and appropriate hopefulness.
I urged my husband to read this and he also enjoyed it. It’s worth noting that he started with the audiobook and was not at all a fan. Without the chapter header illustrations of the dorsal fins to denote weather the chapter was from Vega’s or Daneb’s perspective, he often found it very confusing and he felt that reading the paper copy was much more enjoyable (he switched about 1/3 of the way through). We both feel the illustrations enhance the overall effect, too. He especially appreciated how the Native Americans were shown to be champions of the wildlife and, particularly, the salmon. In his work as an environmental biologist, he knows firsthand that many of the important studies being done on salmon are headed by Native tribes here in Idaho and Washington State.
While the story itself hovered between four and five stars, for me, I’m giving the book as a whole a solid five stars because of the excellent backmatter that has further details about the Salish Sea and its inhabitants (including the various sea creatures that Vega and Daneb meet on their adventures) and, of course, special focus on the orcas. The message of environmental stewardship is one of the best I’ve ever seen as it conveys both a deep urgency and a sense of hope. She uses the example of how she never saw an eagle when she was a little girl, but with awareness and the ban of DDT, raptor populations have made a comeback. As Perry noted, “Every problem facing our orcas in the Salish Sea has a solution. Some are already being put into place. Older ferries are being replaced by cleaner, quieter electric ferries. The Elwha was once a dead river, but dams have been removed and salmon are now spawning in that river again. New rules have forced boats to go slowly when whales are present, so that they don’t make as much noise. The Lumni Nation has used its treaty-protected fishing rights to prevent the largest coal terminal in North America from being placed in the Salish Sea. Our oceans are on the front line of the war against global warming. Restoring our planet and reversing climate change will be the fight of our lives. I am inspired every day by the activism of my young readers. I’m confident that together we can heal our world and all its waters.” (She includes some resources to help get started.) A wonderful, important book!

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosanne Parry returns to animal fiction in this gripping story of two young orcas who must find their way after a series of tragedies separate them from their pod. Used to following her Greatmother, who is the wayfinder for their group, Vega nevertheless has some potential as a wayfinder herself. Grieving the death of her newborn sister, Capella, she leaves her family pod in anger, determined to take the baby's remains to a special spot. Her younger brother Deneb follows after her, determined to bring her back to the family. While thus separated from the larger group, a terrible undersea earthquake occurs, and together with much of the marine life of the Salish Sea, Vega and Deneb head desperately for the safety of the open ocean, where the depths will provide them a refuge from the destructive waves that are coming. Having endured this natural disaster, the siblings must find a way to survive going forward, and Vega takes her place as the wayfinder. But can she find the salmon that she and her brother need to survive? And will they ever be reunited with their family...?

I absolutely loved Parry's A Wolf Called Wander , about the lonely journey of a wolf whose pack had been attacked and dispersed, and who traveled the Oregon wilderness, looking for a new home and family, so I picked up A Whale of the Wild with a great deal of anticipation. That anticipation was made all the keener by the fact that it was illustrated by Lindsay Moore, whose picture-book, Sea Bear: A Journey for Survival , I found both beautiful and moving. Happily, I was not disappointed on either score, finding the story here immensely engaging, and the artwork simply lovely. There were moments of great sadness in the story, and moments of wonder as well, and Parry did an excellent job capturing the perspectives of Vega and Deneb throughout their many experiences, incorporating interesting information about orcas - the fact that they share food in their pods, or that they never attack humans - into her text in a natural way. I found myself utterly engrossed in this tale, hoping against hope that the pair would find the rest of their family, and overjoyed at every success they experienced. The dangers of life in the wild - some natural, some manmade - make the story more suspenseful as well, and I was so relieved when, having found Aquila and Altair, Vega was able to lead them to salmon in time to save the former from the hunger sickness. I was also struck by the scene in which Vega and her brother work with the humans on shore, to restore the river where the salmon spawn, and came away wondering if there were real-life human/orca interactions that might have inspired that part of the story. As mentioned, the artwork was absolutely gorgeous, capturing the beauty of the orcas and the world around them, and making the reading process far more pleasurable. The detailed afterword gives more information about orcas and their world, and offers children concrete steps they can take, in helping to preserve and protect our natural world, and help the orcas.

All in all, a delightful, moving, educational and inspiring book, one I would recommend to all middle-grade readers (or readers of middle-grade fiction) who enjoy animal stories, or who appreciate tales with unusual and unexpected perspectives.

[Christina (Confessions of a Book Addict) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vega is an orca and lives with her family in the beautiful, and sometimes dangerous, Salish Sea. Vega hopes to become a wayfinder, or salmon hunter, for her family and she is encouraged to find the gathering place that her family needs to locate in order to hunt for salmon. Things don't go smoothly for Vega and this leaves her questioning many things. To top it off, her mother is pregnant and Vega hopes that this will be the little sister she has always dreamed of--a friend, a companion, and so much more. Again, things don't go well for Vega's mother and the baby whale, so this leaves Vega even more distressed than before as she leaves her pod behind. Deneb, her younger brother, finds her just before more tragedy strikes and now they find they are both separated from their pod and out in the open ocean. Vega knows that now more than ever, it's up to her to lead not only her brother safely home, but get herself home too as her family is counting on her in A Whale of the Wild by Rosanne Parry.
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...

[Amanda (BookLoverAmanda) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Whale of the Wild - Rosanne Parry - 4 Stars

This was a really great middle grade story told from the POV of a young orca whale that leads her brother on a tumultuous journey to be reunited with their pod. It was very interesting to read a book from an animals POV and I really enjoyed the descriptions under the sea and what it could have been like from the whale POVs. The themes of adventure, family bonds, survival and an ever changing seascape were great.

Vega and her family eat salmon so she is trying to learn how to be a salmon finder. Her and her brother get separated though from the pod when an earthquake and tsunami leave their area under the sea in shambles. As they face hunger and the unknown, will they make it back? Will she be the leader she needs to be?

Overall, I really enjoyed this with the family bonds especially and learning about orca whales as I didn't really have much knowledge about them previously. The only thing I didn't love was how it ended but still recommend!

Content: Emotions tied to death of a sibling

[Bookreader626 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. The thoughts behind the orcas and the simple yet complex lives they live. The amount of names, fish, waves, landmarks, and we'll everything they have to memorize. I do wish it was more clear about which character was telling the story currently. I was able to tell, but it took me a second. Great story, though! Probably a 4.5 star. A quick, cute, simple read

[Courtney Ritchie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My sweet son bought me this book at his elementary school book fair because he knows how much I love orcas. I loved this story about 2 young orcas survival and learned along the way as well :)

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle school readers would enjoy this story of family, courage, loss, and survival. Readers will learn about the habits, environment, and family structure of orcas told through the eyes of the orcas themselves.

Vega and Deneb are two young orcas (whales) living in the Salish Sea when an earthquake and subsequent tsunami strike. They become separated from their kinship group. They face danger and starvation as they search for their family members.

Thank you to Net Galley, Harper Collins Publishers, and author Rosanne Parry for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this interesting and educational book!

[Jovi Ene · Rating 4 out of 5]

A doua carte din seria celor semnate de Rosanne Parry este la fel de interesantă precum prima, ba chiar se pare că autoarea a evoluat față de prima carte, construind o lume mai complexă despre niște animale mai puțin cercetate și care nu sunt monitorizate la fel de bine precum lupii din primul volum. Aici în centru se află oricile, numite și balene ucigașe, animale care trăiesc în mici comunități, în apropierea țărmului Americii de Nord, vânând în familii mai ales somonii care vin să depoziteze icrele pe râurile repezi din Canada sau SUA. Dar lumea lor e în schimbare, iar pescuitul excesiv al somonilor le îngreunează viața, fiind în pericol de dispariție.
Pentru cele două personaje principale din acest volum, Vega și Deneb (autoarea le oferă alternativ vocea naratorului), abia ieșiți din copilărie, viața e și mai grea: un cutremur urmat de mai multe valuri de tsunami le distruge lumea și îi îndepărtează de părinți. Vor reuși ei să revină în cadrul familiei și chiar să supraviețuiască? Rezultă un roman pentru copii și adolescenți foarte alert și plin de suspans, în care ne este descrisă cu multe amănunte viața unor animale despre care e necesar să aflăm mai multe. Adăugăm la asta, ca și la cartea precedentă, mai multe pagini, la final, din care aflăm informații științifice, documentate, despre flora și fauna zonei din preajma Mării Salish.

[Gmr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was SO surprised by this story. This was my first exposure to the author and honestly, when I first read about the story, I thought...a story through the eyes of a whale, how interesting! That first impression did nothing to prepare me for the struggles, the triumphs, the worries, the journeys, the heartache, and the wisdom within.

You don't simply play the part of a watcher in this story; as things unfold, you are every bit a part of it. From the moment you meet Vega and Denab, Mother and Greatmother, Uncle and cousins and the whole family pod, you are a part of the group...for better or worse. I say this because there are things to celebrate...the chance of new life, the hope for tomorrow, and the love of family, whether they be blood or "strangers"...but there are also many realities that hit me rather hard. The loss of a family member, the great quake, the separation, the struggle to survive even when you're not the normally hunted animal of the sea...and then seeing both the positive and negative ways man can impact their habitat. I really liked how the author wove that balance into the story. It was never one or the other was clearly the bad guy, but rather there were those among them that were working for the greater good, trying to find that equilibrium between their world and ours because ultimately in the end, they are in fact one and the same.

So, if you're looking for a story that packs a punch, a tale that doesn't shy from the realities that animals and humans face every day, and reminds us to treat the planet as a treasure not a wasteland, this is most definitely a book for you!


**ARC received for review; opinions are my own

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vega is learning to become a Wayfinder among her pod. She is given an opportunity to lead, but is too impetuous and leads her family into the path of a boat. Vega has to learn to do what's best for her pod rather than herself. It's a tough lesson.

The narrative goes back and forth from Vega's voice to that of her brother, Deneb. Vega is determined to find the Chinook salmon that will sustain her family, but her plan may not be as easy as she anticipated. Many things happen to deter Vega, but she remembers her ancestors and all they endured and knows she can prevail.

I love how Parry creates her story from the perspective of the animal. You understand the world and all of its many dangers from inside the head of an orca. Parry touches on the rise of pollution in the oceans and the threat to the flora and fauna; how humans impact the ocean animals; the importance of the damage done to any part of the food chain.

In the back of the book, there are many notes and facts about the many pods of orcas in the Salish Sea.

[haffy xx · Rating 2 out of 5]

- 2.5 stars ⭐️ 🐳🫧
this is probably in my list of the worst books i have ever read.
was it for a competition? yes.
did i still have expectations? yes.
and were they met? absolutely not.

this is a children’s book maam. not a trauma dump.

the mother of the mc had two miscarriages. one of the whales was suicidal and starved themselves to death.

and don’t even get me started on the plot. non existent. there was tsunami they spent what, 5 days out at sea and then found their cousins and stopped eating after starving because they were going to disrupt the way of life? and it was so damn anticlimactic.

are you mad? because wtf is this? i am never ever reading a book about whales again. i am traumatized.

good god this was bad.

please never read this. at all. and under no circumstance should you give this to your child. just don’t.

[Victor The Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second story in Parry’s “Voice of the Wilderness” series sees us in the Salish Sea following Vega, a young orca whale who is struggling to become a future wayfinder for her growing family as she feels a bit inferior. One day however when she and her little brother Deneb are separated from their family, Vega will have to trust her instincts and faith to find them while they encounter many creatures and potential dangers on their journey.

While not quite as gripping as “Wander”, Vega’s story is just as relatable and surprising as we see her doing whatever it takes to protect her brother and finding their family on their own. We also get some informative fats about orca, the story setting and the animals they saw.

Another wonderful fable about family that swims briskly. A- (91%/Excellent)

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

You guys remember when I was really fixated on whales this spring and read multiple books about it 😂 this had major Moana vibes which I loved

[Priya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautifully written book that is richly informative through the medium of a wonderful story of a brother and sister pair of orca whales who have an unexpected adventure in the open ocean!

Vega belongs to a pod of orca whales that relies on salmon for food and looks to the guidance of the matriarchs to find it. She is eager to be a wayfinder who can locate the fish that is the food of her family. When she is separated from the rest of the pod, her brother Deneb goes looking for her and they are trapped in the middle of an earthquake and tsunami that leaves them miles away from their safe spaces and their family.

Hungry, tired and scared, Vega has to look after Deneb and get to food before the hunger sickness claims them both. She has to protect her younger sibling from the other unknown dangers in the sea like ships, shark attacks and the changing seascape itself while also figuring out a way to reunite with the rest of the pod.

Filled with facts about the orca whales, how global warming, climate change and pollution of the ocean is posing a real danger to them and what can be done to ensure we don't lose these lovely sea mammals, this is also full of emotions. Family bonding, stepping up to take responsibility, protecting each other...Vega and Deneb do all of this and are really cutely portrayed. The story told in the voice of the two whales really warms the heart because they have concerns and thoughts about us humans and the harm we are and might do to them that we cannot read without flinching.

The information about whale communities including their habitats, food habits, social structure and many other aspects is very interesting. One of the main threats facing the orca whales is the lessening quantity of salmon which is their main sustenance. This is due to a large extent because of human activity and so a problem that has a solution.

A must read especially for young readers so they are aware of these magnificent beings and their own role in preserving them on our planet.

[Peacegal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author of A WOLF CALLED WANDER has created another fantastic wildlife adventure, this time featuring orca whales. Switching perspectives between a young adult female orca and her younger brother, readers are taken on a perilous journey when a tsunami causes the famously familial mammals to be separated from their close-knit pod.

Attentive readers will spot actual historical info about orcas in Pacific Northwest, and this is woven seamlessly and realistically within the storyline. While fictionalized, WHALE OF THE WILD is no flight of fancy--the behavior and experiences of orcas and other sealife in their habitat is true-to-form, as are the many hazards they must navigate, including, most grievously for this population of whales who subsist almost entirely on salmon, a crash in the salmon population.

I liked how some orcas looked at humans the way some humans look at whales--because they look and live in environment so different from ours, they must not have families or feelings. While the ways of humans remain a mystery to our main characters, they do make some observations that indicate that this way of looking at humans is incorrect—perhaps humans can even communicate!

I wish this book and its companion volume got more attention in our library. It is well-written, exciting, and thought-provoking. It contains scenes of intensity as well as beauty. There’s also an open-ended conclusion that will have readers hoping for a sequel.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this read-aloud at all (though my 4th grader did like most of it). It follows two young whales on their journey as they slowly starve. Midway through the book, they become separated from their family pod AND NEVER FIND THEM AGAIN. Super enjoyable to read to a kid with separation anxiety. Oh, and that was just after the main character births a stillborn orca. Fun! The book is written in first person, and the POV randomly changes every couple of chapters. It took us several chapters to figure out that there even was a second POV, and a few more to figure out that the second character was little brother Deneb. We both found the change in POVs confusing, and it took a page or two to figure out who was supposed to be narrating.
Oh, I almost forgot about the chapter where Vega fantasizes about revenge-killing a baby human in very specific detail, and the one where Deneb is so hungry he eats a seal and spends the entire chapter pooping out blood.

[Frank Theising · Rating 3 out of 5]

My wife picked this one up at the library here in Hawaii as a supplement to our homeschool science curriculum, which has a heavy emphasis on the ocean and sea life this month. This was an enjoyable little piece of fiction on the life of a group of orcas (killer whales) in the Pacific Northwest. You get a great feel for some of the unique characteristics of orca “society”….the matriarchically structure of their various family groups (kinships), their heavy reliance on echo-location for hunting and survival, and the familial bonds and duties that define their lives. Overall, an entertaining and educational children’s book. Solid 3 stars.

[R. L. Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF at 28%. Very well written and I love the concept but there is a very dark scene about her wanting revenge on the humans who stole Killer Whale young (which is wrong! And horrifying!) and how she wanted to murder a human child. It was graphic and disturbing. And the reader is meant to feel that her anger is justified and her desires are normal. I do not believe in any form of animal cruelty but humans are always more important and this was frankly just too disturbing for my taste.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you follow my blog or reviews you’ll notice that I cannot resist books about orcas. I love these amazing creatures. I hate their captivity. I have read about orcas from the perspective of scientists. I have read about orcas from the point of view of people who have worked with them in captivity. I have read about orcas from the work of researchers and historians, indigenous perspectives, artists and more. I have never read about orcas from the perspective of orcas themselves. Until now.

Vega is an orca, descendent of the wayfinding grandmother orca of her family. Vega knows that someday it will be her job to lead her family, to find food and follow the patterns and stories that have guided her family for many generations. But she doubts her right to lead, especially when decisions she makes puts her family or danger, or no matter how far they hunt, food is scarce. When she and her brother Deneb are separated from their family, Vega must do everything to protect him and find their way back to their family.

I give full credit to Rosanne Parry. She has done a fantastic job of not only researching orcas, but capturing their heart and soul. While we mere humans will never know the wonders of the orca mind and heart, I think, from what we know of orcas, Parry has expressed their love of family, their matriarchal society, the hurt, pain and grief from loss of family and food sources, their sense of fun and adventure and their amazing intelligence, especially emotional intelligence.

The book is narrated in turn by both Vega and Deneb. Each bring a different perspective to the story. Vega is the female who knows she is born to lead. She struggles with doubting her own abilities, but that belief in her place never really wavers. As the author notes, orca family environments where females are respected, followed and protected at all costs, is a much different society from the one in which young female humans grow-up. Deneb is the younger brother. He is coached by the older male orcas about his place. He will never lead, but he will support Vega and be by her side in all things. His joy is in supporting and swimming alongside Vega. Vega has a more mature voice, while Deneb is the younger brother voice in all things - decisions, food and play.

There is reference to all of the greatest threats to orcas in the book - past and present. Vega and Deneb reflect on the grief of the older orcas who remember a time when young orcas were captured and never returned. There is a heartbreaking scene where Vega remembers their losses through the lens of her own more recent loss. The orcas reflect on great fights where they were targeted and fought back for their freedom, costing many their lives and others their family members. There is also the current threat of a lack of food. This is present throughout the entire novel, as Vega, Deneb and their family search for food. Toxins in the water are also mentioned and has a costly effect on Vega’s family. Boat noise which influences an ocas’s ability to communicate, “see” and hunt for food. Throughout all, the orca stories and way is shared, including never to hurt humans, how they have worked with humans and the respect shared between orcas and the Indigenous peoples. I loved Vega and Deneb’s view of humans. Some of the language used is human terms and yet other words - grabbers for hands, etc, reflect the orca view.

I was amazed by how Parry brings the world of the Salish Sea orcas to life. In such a small and adventurous book, she brings to life the way of the orcas, their history with the indigenous people of the land, their relationship with other orca pods, and their knowledge of the sea. Mention of other orca species is included and Deneb has a wonderful adventure with a solitary male orca who hunts small mammals. They marvel at their differences and their similarities.

There is so, so much to unpack and explore in this book. I would love to use this as a class novel or a jumping off point for an inquiry unit or marine environment studies. It is also a thoroughly enjoyable adventure story of danger and daring and family.

The impact of humans on orcas is clear in the story without feeling sanctimonious. I hope it inspires many young readers to learn more about orcas and what we humans can do to help keep them safe. The author includes notes, references, research and further reading and information about the inspiration for her characters.

Honestly, the writing and storytelling in A Whale of the Wild is flawless. My advanced copy didn’t include the illustrations, so I look forward to seeing how they help bring the story to life when I get my hands on a published hardcopy. A beautiful story that does justice to a beautiful subject. Also - the ending was a surprise. I’ll be interested to hear what my students say about it.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library

[Kalmar Shuffler · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Whale of the Wild was an okay read, but it didn't affect me like A Wolf Called Wander did. Though, the illustrations were beautiful! And I really appreciated all the marine life facts at the end.

[James McKay · Rating 1 out of 5]

I haven't read the book, and arguably I shouldn't make this review but as someone who has studied orcas religiously since I was like 3. It's been years and years of nothing but studying, and from a factual stand point just the synopsis bothers me.

Even more than that, I only looked up the book at all because I saw the title "A Whale of the Wild" and the cover of orcas. One thing that has bothered my since I started my research was people refering to them as whales, when they're In fact dolphins. It's a misconception because of the nickname 'killer whales."

Now on that note, one of the things at "stake" is a shark attack. Killer whales are known for attacking and eating almost everything in the ocean. This includes sharks. Leading to sharks fleeing from orcas for months at a time. A shark attack would never be at stake.

I do understand that this is a children's book, but as a child I would have hated the inaccuracy. And as a (now) teenager, I still resent the few incorrect things I've just seen when looking at the very surface. While it's fiction it should still be rooted in actual fact.

Idk maybe I'll read this book to redeem it. But as of right now I wrote like my first ever complaint for anything.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I was 11 or 12 years old, I probably would have loved this book. I grew up reading the Redwall series. I loved anything by David Clement-Davies and Jean Craighead George. Needless to say, fantastical animal survival stories were my jam...so I don't know if it's reading books like these as an adult that makes them lose that sense of magic?

While reading A Whale of the Wild, I constantly found myself too focused and nit-picky about the factual issues and the over anthropomorphizing--if an orca whale was starving, it wouldn't wait for salmon. It would eat seals, it would eat sea birds, it would eat just about anything it could find. I also found the "whale"names for things a little too overdone and the chapters/perspectives too abruptly ending and transitioning, that I never really felt a connection to/cared for Vega or her brother.

Do I think there are plenty of kids that would love this book? Of course. Would I have loved this book 20 years ago? Probably. But as an adult reading this now, it's just not one of my favorite recently published middle grade novels.

[acorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important, adventurous, natural 🌎

Follow Vega and her brother Deneb; orcas! When they get separated from the rest of their kinship because of tragedy and destruction, they must find food, their home, and their family.

This book is so touching. It was amazing to read through the eyes of an orca. It gave me a calming, peaceful sense. The plot seemed realistic which I appreciated and I liked the characters enough as well.

The ending was super sweet, too! Plus, I enjoyed the additional information after the story. Super helpful ❤️

Yep! Definitely read this one if you like nature, orcas/whales, or a calming tale.

[Olivia Ellenbecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was obviously not the target audience for this book, as it was definitely a children’s themed adventure book, but I still enjoyed it. The illustrations were beautiful, and I loved the educational section at the end which talked more about the real history of orcas. (I love orcas)

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Whale of the Wild // by Rosanna Parry

I don't read a lot of middle grade books but I'm really glad I picked this one up. It was a fun and interesting story about one of my favorite animals growing up. I learned a lot about Orcas thanks to this book and really felt immersed into this adventure. It's definitely a book I could see myself buying for our future kids!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not the right audience for A Whale of the Wild. It was ok. My biggest problem was that I swear it switched perspectives between the brother and the sister, but there was no distinguishing when that happened. Also, I was reading this with a middle school audience in mind, and this seems a little young for them. It had fascinating information in the back of the book and I absolutely loved the illustrations throughout, though.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, if everyone had to read middle grade books about climate change, the world would probably get it together faster.
My hope is that the Gen Z kids who grew up learning about stewardship of the planet and what it requires will do better than we're doing now.
This was such a good book. I was very surprised by the depth of the plot and character building. And I learned a good deal about the orcas of the Salish Sea. The illustrations are stunning as well.

[Linnea · Rating 5 out of 5]

*cries in marine biologist* 🥺

[Harper Charboneau · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite part was when Capella wasn't breathing and Vega decided to take her to the blood cave because of ancestors. My least favorite part was that she never found the rest of her kinship.

[Carrie Spellmeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this one with my daughter and she loved it, so 5 stars from Hattie!