Whales in the City
$34.67
- Hardcover
48 pages
- Release Date
16 September 2025
Summary
This story spans from pre-colonization to today, so that readers can learn how the industrial revolution, overfishing, and pollution pushed whales out of New York Harbor and the Hudson River by the early 20th Century. But the story doesn’t end there. Passionate citizens were able to clean up the harbor through activism and legislation. The first whales were spotted in the Hudson after over 100 years in 2019!
Here is a kid-friendly environmental success story chockfull of towering skys…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780374308568 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 037430856X |
| Author: | Nancy F. Castaldo |
| Publisher: | Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc |
| Imprint: | Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 48 |
| Release Date: | 16 September 2025 |
| Weight: | 418g |
| Dimensions: | 12mm x 290mm x 225mm |
| Audience Age: | 4 |
You Can Find This Book In
Critics Review
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Texas Topaz Nonfiction Book
Vermont Red Clover Award Nominee
Bank Street Best Book of the Year
Kansas NEA Reading Circle Selection
“As well as a history lesson here, the text–emphasizing the BIG creatures, problems, protests, and ideas that make this story–shows the importance of standing up for nature and that change is possible. The heartening tale is accompanied by detailed watercolor illustrations that show snapshots of history and wonderfully underscore the majesty of whales.” –Booklist, starred review
“Citizen activism takes on industrial pollution in the Hudson River and makes way for whales to return to New York Harbor in this historical picture book.” –Publishers Weekly
“In Groenink’s art, humpbacks arc with sinuous grace through sludgy (later sparkling) waters… A sincere record of an environmental success story.” –Kirkus
“Evocative illustrations and easy-to-understand text bring this story of whales living in the Hudson River in New York to life… fascinating and accessible story about whales and the water they live in. Great for a read-aloud, especially for Earth Day.” –School Library Journal
“The textured gouache and graphite illustrations often spread across two pages, encompassing both the hugeness of the whales and the city that grows behind them… simultaneously respects the existence of whales entirely out of human context while still making clear the connection between the natural world and the human world.” –BCCB
“Offers hope for aspiring citizen activists and makes a compelling case for taking the long view and not giving up the fight.” –Horn Book
Nancy F. Castaldo
Nancy Castaldo is an environmental educator and award-winning author, who has written books about our planet for over 20 years from New York’s Hudson Valley. Her books include The Farm That Feeds Us, The Story of Seeds, and Sniffer Dogs.
Chuck Groenink is the illustrator of many children’s books including Hank’s Big Day by Evan Kuhlman and The Library Book by Tom Chapin and Michael Mark. He grew up in the Netherlands, where he spent his formative years climbing trees, drawing, reading, and cycling. He now resides in the United States, going from Portland, Oregon, to Kinderhook, New York where he lives with his wife, dog, three cats, and several rowdy chickens.
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