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Whales to the Rescue: How Whales Help Engineer the Planet
It's not just humans working to combat global warming. Meet the ecosystem engineers who are improving our planet's health!
In this unique look at how one animal can make a difference for the planet, Adrienne Mason, a marine biologist, reveals how whales are ecosystem engineers --- animals that create, modify or maintain a habitat or ecosystem. Whales do this by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. They store a large amount of carbon in their bodies for decades, even centuries; when they die, they sink to the ocean floor, taking their carbon with them. Whales also deposit nutrients into the ocean that help feed phytoplankton, which, in turn, draw carbon out of the atmosphere and into the ocean during photosynthesis. More carbon in the ocean means less carbon in the atmosphere --- all thanks to whales!
Using a highly visual approach and a slow build of concepts, this fascinating book explores how whales play an essential role in maintaining a healthy ocean and, by extension, a healthy and biodiverse planet. Nearly half the book provides information on whales, including types of whales, what they eat and poop and how they migrate. It then moves on to describe the consequences of a warming planet and the ways that whales can help. Kim Smith's stunning art brings the concepts to life. Part of the Ecosystem Guardians series, this book has strong STEM connections in life and environmental science, with curriculum links to biodiversity, ecosystems, food webs and animal habitats and characteristics. It contains a glossary, resources, information on how children can help and an index.
In this unique look at how one animal can make a difference for the planet, Adrienne Mason, a marine biologist, reveals how whales are ecosystem engineers --- animals that create, modify or maintain a habitat or ecosystem. Whales do this by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. They store a large amount of carbon in their bodies for decades, even centuries; when they die, they sink to the ocean floor, taking their carbon with them. Whales also deposit nutrients into the ocean that help feed phytoplankton, which, in turn, draw carbon out of the atmosphere and into the ocean during photosynthesis. More carbon in the ocean means less carbon in the atmosphere --- all thanks to whales!
Using a highly visual approach and a slow build of concepts, this fascinating book explores how whales play an essential role in maintaining a healthy ocean and, by extension, a healthy and biodiverse planet. Nearly half the book provides information on whales, including types of whales, what they eat and poop and how they migrate. It then moves on to describe the consequences of a warming planet and the ways that whales can help. Kim Smith's stunning art brings the concepts to life. Part of the Ecosystem Guardians series, this book has strong STEM connections in life and environmental science, with curriculum links to biodiversity, ecosystems, food webs and animal habitats and characteristics. It contains a glossary, resources, information on how children can help and an index.
40 pages, Hardcover
Published September 6, 2022
31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 12, 2022
when i was young i was scared af of whales and i think if i had this cute and informative book it would've helped A LOTT
September 6, 2022
From sizes to lifecycle to eating habits and more, this book is a great reference for your whale enthusiast. It's slated for ages (), but with the vivid and colorful illustrations, you could easily have discussions about this book starting from age 18 months. This book could grow with your child.
There are other books about whales, so it may be a matter of preference. This one gives the facts in a straight forward manner, and uses illustrations. Some may prefer photographs and more factoids. Would definitely recommend this book if you don't already have a whale reference text for your 0-12 year old.
Thanks NetGalley and Adrienne Mason for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest feedback.
There are other books about whales, so it may be a matter of preference. This one gives the facts in a straight forward manner, and uses illustrations. Some may prefer photographs and more factoids. Would definitely recommend this book if you don't already have a whale reference text for your 0-12 year old.
Thanks NetGalley and Adrienne Mason for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest feedback.
August 9, 2022
A great book about the importance of whales to our ecosystem! It does a great job of going through all the roles whales play in nature and the illustrations are beautiful!
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2022
Well, let's just say this didn't have the emphasis I expected. It starts by looking like a routine guide to whales, and then goes off on a most unusual tangent, talking about their poo. Is this scatological approach really that needed, you might think, until it all falls into place, that this book is in a loose series about how animals and environments are all interconnected. It's been twinned with a very good book about returning wolves to the Yosemite (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) and here, in concentrating on the aquatic world, has a rather different approach. It turns out that whales eat so damned much and poo so damned much that they actually factor largely in propagating the base of their own food chains and food webs, just by spreading waste they generated at the bottom of the sea at the top, or moving things around vertically, or even in transporting themselves en masse in their annual migrations.
And it's more than that, for the carbon cycle is running parallel to all that, and is further evidence of why we should want clean, safe seas for clean, safe whales to keep doing their thing. And I think a book that discusses such things – how just one species of a few dozen types of animal can have such an impact on the whole ecology – is very valuable indeed. I will question whether the creators have got the balance right between all-child-friendly illustrations and quite dense sections of text. All the same this will be the key lesson of the day for many people, even those who thought they knew their whales and yet were ignorant of this aspect of the beasts. In educating me, at least, a strong four stars.
And it's more than that, for the carbon cycle is running parallel to all that, and is further evidence of why we should want clean, safe seas for clean, safe whales to keep doing their thing. And I think a book that discusses such things – how just one species of a few dozen types of animal can have such an impact on the whole ecology – is very valuable indeed. I will question whether the creators have got the balance right between all-child-friendly illustrations and quite dense sections of text. All the same this will be the key lesson of the day for many people, even those who thought they knew their whales and yet were ignorant of this aspect of the beasts. In educating me, at least, a strong four stars.
September 3, 2022
This non-fiction text teaches about whales and their important role in the ocean ecosystem. From the ways that whales help other animals as part of a biome, to the ways that global warming is dangerously affecting whales and other members of their habitat, this book carefully identifies the importance of protecting whales and the environment in which they live. Additionally, the author also includes a lot of interesting content such as echolocation and food chains. The book is approximately 40 pages long and is divided into several double page spreads on different topics, making the information indepth without going into too much detail for this particular age group. Pages are not overcrowed with text, however the text is in a fairly small font, and is black on a variety of different coloured backgrounds. I found that the when the text was on white backgrounds it was easier to read, meaning that this book is somewhat accessible. The nice, large and detailed pictures are a great addition to this text and will help readers picture the animals described in the text. The book is filled with lots of great non-fiction text features such as diagrams, text boxes and an index. I would recommend this book to parents and teachers of children in the age 7-11 range. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
October 26, 2022
I absolutely adored this book, and I know younger me would have too. Growing up, I'd tell anyone who listened how I wanted to be a marine biologist who studied whales, and my bedroom was FULL of books like Whales to the Rescue. I'd go to the library and get my hands on anything and everything that talked about whales, and I know this book would have been a favourite of my younger self.
Whales to the Rescue teaches readers more than just simple facts about whales. Yes, it discusses different feeding habits, but it also goes into detail about those food chains play off each other and affect other ocean life. It also discusses topics like climate change, carbon cycles, whaling, endangered species, and how whales help balance entire ecosystems. There's a ton of science packed into this book, and it's all explained in an easy to understand way that would resonate with children. I especially loved the glossary of terms at the end of the book, as well as the list of resources for further reading for those who are eager to learn more (again, little me would have been THRILLED at seeing more places and books to learn about whales from).
And the illustrations? Absolutely stunning. The whales and other ocean animals featured truly come to life on the pages and bring the whole book together.
Thank you so much to Kids Can Press for the digital ARC of this book!
Whales to the Rescue teaches readers more than just simple facts about whales. Yes, it discusses different feeding habits, but it also goes into detail about those food chains play off each other and affect other ocean life. It also discusses topics like climate change, carbon cycles, whaling, endangered species, and how whales help balance entire ecosystems. There's a ton of science packed into this book, and it's all explained in an easy to understand way that would resonate with children. I especially loved the glossary of terms at the end of the book, as well as the list of resources for further reading for those who are eager to learn more (again, little me would have been THRILLED at seeing more places and books to learn about whales from).
And the illustrations? Absolutely stunning. The whales and other ocean animals featured truly come to life on the pages and bring the whole book together.
Thank you so much to Kids Can Press for the digital ARC of this book!
September 3, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book. Below is my honest review!
Honestly, I don’t even think I’m the targeted audience for this book—but one of my best friends is a marine biologist and taught me a few things about whales. Also, I just wanted to learn about whales without being bogged down by 300+ pages.
The best benefit to this book is that it’s super easy to read, even for a non-science person like me! There’s some jargon in here (as it should have), but it’s explained in a simple manner. And it’s written more casually, so that also adds to the easiness.
Additionally, the pictures and background are beautiful. They don’t distract from the reading at all. Props to Kim Smith for illustrating the pages!
Fun whale facts from reading this book:
1. Whale poop is very important to the food system.
2. Having more whales in the ocean can help with climate change.
3. Some whales can live up to 200 years old!
I also love how there’s a “How You Can Help” section at the end so that readers don’t feel completely depressed about climate change and how’s not enough whales in the oceans.
Overall, a fun and informative read.
Would I recommend this book? Sure!!
Honestly, I don’t even think I’m the targeted audience for this book—but one of my best friends is a marine biologist and taught me a few things about whales. Also, I just wanted to learn about whales without being bogged down by 300+ pages.
The best benefit to this book is that it’s super easy to read, even for a non-science person like me! There’s some jargon in here (as it should have), but it’s explained in a simple manner. And it’s written more casually, so that also adds to the easiness.
Additionally, the pictures and background are beautiful. They don’t distract from the reading at all. Props to Kim Smith for illustrating the pages!
Fun whale facts from reading this book:
1. Whale poop is very important to the food system.
2. Having more whales in the ocean can help with climate change.
3. Some whales can live up to 200 years old!
I also love how there’s a “How You Can Help” section at the end so that readers don’t feel completely depressed about climate change and how’s not enough whales in the oceans.
Overall, a fun and informative read.
Would I recommend this book? Sure!!
July 17, 2024
This nonfiction title talks about the importance of whales to our world. Each spread gives information that leads the reader to how the healthiness of our environment can be helped by having a healthy whale population in our oceans. The title goes from descriptions of various whales to their role in food webs to how their poop helps feed other parts of the food web. The title also talks about how the carbon in their bodies and the resulting whale fall after their death also helps to strengthen the food web. The title ends with ideas of what people can do to help the world become healthier again. This was a fascinating book that is full of vital and intriguing information. I would recommend purchase to most libraries that have an interest in whale and ecology. The table of contents gives clear listing of what is covered within the title and the glossary helps to describe words young readers may struggle with. There is also an index and list of resources to help the reader find further information. The only drawback I find in this beautifully illustrated nonfiction book is that the font used is small and kind of tight on various spreads. This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.
September 10, 2022
Miigweetch NetGalley and Kids Can Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
An illustrated nonfiction account of whales and the ways they impact their environment. This book has a generous amount of information about whale poop and the important role it plays in maintaining the ocean’s ecosystem, which I found both gross and fascinating, so I am sure elementary students will as well! There are a variety of whales on display; the orcas page with the otters and octopus is my favorite. A glossary at the end of the book edifies potentially unknown words and provides additional context for the various STEM vocabulary used throughout the book.
The illustrations are really lovely, and complement the text well. I do wish that the text were formatted differently; I found the overall look of the page layouts to be somewhat squished and unaesthetic - the text placement on page seemed almost like an afterthought.
I recommend this book for school libraries, as well as any young reader who loves to learn about animals or biological science.
An illustrated nonfiction account of whales and the ways they impact their environment. This book has a generous amount of information about whale poop and the important role it plays in maintaining the ocean’s ecosystem, which I found both gross and fascinating, so I am sure elementary students will as well! There are a variety of whales on display; the orcas page with the otters and octopus is my favorite. A glossary at the end of the book edifies potentially unknown words and provides additional context for the various STEM vocabulary used throughout the book.
The illustrations are really lovely, and complement the text well. I do wish that the text were formatted differently; I found the overall look of the page layouts to be somewhat squished and unaesthetic - the text placement on page seemed almost like an afterthought.
I recommend this book for school libraries, as well as any young reader who loves to learn about animals or biological science.
September 7, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the ARC of this!
A second book in the Ecosystem Guardians series, I was so excited to read this non-fiction book with my homeschooled kids (6 & 9) This has lovely illustrations and paints a clear picture about how all living things are interconnected through food webs. It gave a beautiful and clear introduction to whales in general, explaining things like their diet, body structure and how they are made up of carbon just like us, before moving into healthy ecosystems and climate change and how whales can help us heal the world. Definitely a must read for science and climate change for the elementary aged set.
A second book in the Ecosystem Guardians series, I was so excited to read this non-fiction book with my homeschooled kids (6 & 9) This has lovely illustrations and paints a clear picture about how all living things are interconnected through food webs. It gave a beautiful and clear introduction to whales in general, explaining things like their diet, body structure and how they are made up of carbon just like us, before moving into healthy ecosystems and climate change and how whales can help us heal the world. Definitely a must read for science and climate change for the elementary aged set.
October 19, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this little book about Whales and their great importance in protecting us from climate change. They are really our heroes and that's why it's really important for us to do our best in order to protect them from extinction.
From this little book, I learnt about the great work that the whales are doing for us humans, about the phytoplankton and the carbon cycle. This book is interesting to read either for kids or adults.
I loved this little book about Whales and their great importance in protecting us from climate change. They are really our heroes and that's why it's really important for us to do our best in order to protect them from extinction.
From this little book, I learnt about the great work that the whales are doing for us humans, about the phytoplankton and the carbon cycle. This book is interesting to read either for kids or adults.
March 21, 2023
This is a relatively short Non-Fiction title on whales. The art is well done and helps provide a fun environment for the other information provided in the book. I am conflicted between wanting actual photographs of the whales and the other information provided on these pages and liking the fun feeling the art evoked.
The content is serious but is provided in short bursts, making it a good tool for teaching or even just for learning about basic marine ecosystems.
It was a quick read and packed a lot of information, even with the spaced-out content.
I had some basic prior understanding of some of the topics discussed here, but overall it was presented in a manner that would work for all levels of readers.
I would recommend it to younger readers who will get more excitement from this than adult ones (or so I feel), although given the time it takes to read this from cover to cover, any person will get value for the time they put in. The writer and illustrator have put in a good bit of effort, something that is easily visible in this pleasant presentation.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
The content is serious but is provided in short bursts, making it a good tool for teaching or even just for learning about basic marine ecosystems.
It was a quick read and packed a lot of information, even with the spaced-out content.
I had some basic prior understanding of some of the topics discussed here, but overall it was presented in a manner that would work for all levels of readers.
I would recommend it to younger readers who will get more excitement from this than adult ones (or so I feel), although given the time it takes to read this from cover to cover, any person will get value for the time they put in. The writer and illustrator have put in a good bit of effort, something that is easily visible in this pleasant presentation.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
July 22, 2025
The illustrations are lovely, and I'm pleased that a book for kids on this topic exists. But as informational reading for kids, this could use stronger shaping. There were several instances in which the text referred to something (e.g. whalers, how kids can support healthy oceans) that wasn't explained until several pages later; there was an illustration that appeared to depict a whale fall but the accompanying text only described marine snow; and a "know your whales" diagram depicted only eight species without explaining why those eight were featured.
August 22, 2022
Whales to the Rescue is a good reference resource for elementary schools and classrooms. It’s not a good nonfiction book for reading cover to cover just for fun. Some whale enthusiasts might do that but most readers wouldn’t enjoy it that way. It’s well organized in its general whale information. I like the additional information about whales and the environment. There is a glossary, Learn more, and (my favorite) How you can help section at the end.
September 4, 2022
Whales to the Rescue is a great new nonfiction book about whales helping the planet through their migration, food webs, death, and even their poop. Beautiful illustrations accompany the informative text, suitable for upper elementary. If you have a child that loves oceans, whales, and the environment, this is a must read! I will definitely be purchasing this book for our school library. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.
December 28, 2022
What an interesting topic this was, and I learned so many new things, and I am not even the target population. I am saying it once, and I will say it again: non fiction picture books are really an asset that is underrated and overlooked.
My only (slight) complain is that the text isn't always very easy to read. Small font on a darker background, which made me work hard at times to read it to the kids.... Not all pages had this issue, but many!
My only (slight) complain is that the text isn't always very easy to read. Small font on a darker background, which made me work hard at times to read it to the kids.... Not all pages had this issue, but many!
September 7, 2022
Animal and nature books are huge in our home. Whales to the Rescue was the perfect read for my kids! They loved learning all about whales and how they help our environment. The artwork was fantastic with a lot of bright colors and fun depictions of whales. I’m excited to check out other books in this series!
Want to Read
April 25, 2022Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.
November 11, 2024
Up to date and mostly on the money. Very worthwhile resource.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews