Maybe a Whale

A young girl’s grandpa has passed away, but he left plans and a map for the girl to go on her first ocean trip with her mother. The girl’s grandpa loved the sea, especially the whales. The girl isn’t so sure about going on the trip as she misses her grandpa and wants him to be there. The girl and her mother pack up all their gear and drive until they come to the ocean, ready to search for whales.

In their double kayak, the girl and her mother take off and discover the wonders of the ocean. Under white tipped waves, gorgeous illustrations show the girl and her mother kayaking on calm waters above, but below are forests of seaweed, moon jellies, and seals. During their trip, the girl wonders if the whales could be swimming underneath them or perhaps sleeping close by.

At the end of the day, the pair pull their kayak out of the ocean and make camp for the night. Although there is no moon, the sky is illuminated with millions of stars, and the salty water glows with bioluminescence. The girl seems happy to have the time with her mother, but she is disappointed they didn’t see any whales. She wonders if there are even whales around. But, as the girl falls asleep to the sound of waves gently lapping against the shore, she hears a new sound. Although it is too dark to see, the girl and her mother hear Humpback whales breathing in the bay. The girl peacefully falls asleep to the sound of the whale and knows that the whales and her grandpa are still there, even if she can’t see them.

Maybe a Whale is a beautiful story about a mother and daughter’s journey to heal from their grief and to reconnect with each other and the ocean. Loss and memory are strong themes, as well as celebrating life through the ocean. With digital paint and layered textures, Crystal Smith has created stunning images that portray the ocean and surrounding wilderness from different perspectives. Using sea tones of varying shades of green and blue, Smith creates illustrations that are bright and soft and appear to almost glow. Pendreigh’s words are lyrical and give readers a detailed description of the girl’s journey in a few words, such as when they pack for their trip and all the creatures that they see beneath the surface. Readers of all ages who love the outdoors and can relate to some form of loss will appreciate this story a great deal.