On a cool December morning near San Francisco, a distress call was radioed to shore by a local fisherman. He had discovered a humpback whale tangled in hundreds of yards of crab-trap lines, struggling to stay afloat. A team of volunteers answered the call, and four divers risked their lives to rescue the enormous animal. It was the first successful whale disentanglement performed off the West Coast of the United States and prompted a rare and remarkable demonstration of animal behavior. This celebrated story, beautifully depicted in Jennifer O'Connells mesmerizing paintings, will make you wonder about animal emotions and the unique connections we can have with other animals, seven whales. To research The Eye of the Whale, Jennifer traveled to San Francisco where she met Captain Mick Menigoz and rode his rescue boat, Superfish, out into the Pacific Ocean to the area where the events in the book took place. This experience fueled her inspiration as she created the images and words of this extraordinary story.
Developed by New Zealand reading specialist and author, Pam Holden, this exciting reading program offers an extensive range of illustrated fiction and photographic non-fiction titles at graded levels. Red Rocket Readers offer a carefully controlled sequence of challenges throughout the levels to ensure students progress with confidence and enthusiasm.
Describes how a migrating humpback whale mistakenly entered the San Francisco Bay in 1985 and swam sixty-four miles inland before being led back to the sea by people concerned for his welfare.
Presents the story of whale sharks-- the largest fish on the planet. Facing threats from commercial fishing as well as climate change, they were categorized as endangered in 2016. Despite the marine sanctuaries set aside to protect whale sharks, their population is still decreasing. These gentle giants may be accidentally caught in fishing nets, fished by poachers, or hit by a ship's propeller. But new conservation methods, which include enlisting volunteers to spot them as well as tagging and remotely following them--are giving experts hope. Can volunteers and scientists help save the world's biggest fish before it's too late?
In this lyrical picture book with subtle conservation themes, a girl helps rescue a whale who has washed ashore. Here is a beautifully written, moving story that will appeal to all animal lovers, and to those interested in protecting our oceans and marine life. Emma lives in a crooked house in an old whaling town, and often takes her dog, Nemo, to the beach. On their walks, they find amazing treasures, like shells and stones and sea glass—and even a loggerhead turtle. But one day, they find something completely unexpected: a baby whale, washed ashore. Emma empathizes with the animal’s suffering, imagining what the whale is thinking and feeling. When the tide starts to come in, Emma pushes as the water swirls and rises, and eventually the whale swims free, back to her mother.
Jessica Lanan’s dreamy and dramatic watercolor paintings bring to life a wordless story about wonder in the natural world. A fisherman takes his son for a trip out on the water. When they encounter a whale entangled at sea, they realize a connection that transcends the animal kingdom.
A giant whale trapped in nets and ropes. Can she be helped? A humpback whale migrating south along the California coast becomes tangled in a fishing trawler’s ropes and nets. As she struggles to free herself, the ropes twist more tightly around her body, digging into her skin. The whale fights until she is too tired to continue. What happens next will astound and inspire. Based on true events, this is a story of interspecies cooperation and the importance of human responsibility to protect the earth and its many inhabitants. Wendell Minor’s breathtaking paintings illustrate the majesty of the gentle humpback whale in her blue-green undersea world and the amazing efforts of humans—creatures a mere fraction of her size—who risked their lives to save her. Back matter includes the story behind the story, further information about humpback whales, and facts about whale rescue efforts