Orcas of the Salish Sea

"Is that a Killer Whale or an Orca?" The question is heard often enough. Mark Leiren-Young's new title answers this and many more questions as he warmly brings the reader into the world of the largest creatures of the sea. The narrative is inviting and creatively informative, often focusing on famous whales such as "Granny", an orca so loved by the inhabitants of Washington State that they named her honorary Mayor of Orcas Island. The author expertly uses a single whale, Onyx, to help frame the beginning, middle and end of the book.

Each page offers a new concept about the life of orcas, their challenges, and uncertain future. Topics include: how orcas communicate, what they eat, how they travel, and the environments in which they live, to name but a few.

Some Orcas in Antarctica hunt penguins. These orcas are smaller than most others, and their skin is yellow because of the algae. These whales are called Gerlache orcas because they are found in the Gerlache Strait. If you're a penguin in the Antarctic, Gerlache orcas are killer whales!

The narrative is complemented by stunning photographs, images that will certainly cause children to want a closer look. One photograph shows a great white shark leaping into the air (breaching) with something in its mouth. The caption informs us that it is a seal-shaped decoy. There are no disturbing photographs. Each image has a clear and specific caption.

The author uses scientific vocabulary, and I found myself learning and appreciating the recent history of scientific study of these large and beautiful creatures. Pod, superpod, breaching, vocalizations, echolocation, and spy-hopping are all examples of words placed purposefully in-text. One of my favorite definitions concerned echolocation:

Orcas also have a superpower called echolocation. They send out sound waves that bounce off everything nearby. These waves show orcas the world around them. Echolocation is whale sonar.

The author is highly qualified to write about the topic; Leiren-Young is a filmmaker, writer and award-winning whale activist. Orcas of the Salish Sea is a well-crafted informative picture book that could be easily used as a read-aloud or part of research for grades K-2.