★ 05/05/2014
George returns to the northern Alaska setting of her Newbery-winning Julie of the Wolves in this expansive story, which the author's children, Twig George and Craig George, completed after her 2012 death. Spanning two centuries—from 1848 to 2048—the novel interlaces the stories and perspectives of a family of Yankee whaling captains; generations of an Yup'ik clan cursed after one of them inadvertently discloses the location of a pod of whales to greedy whalers; and Siku, a bowhead whale that shares a deep bond with the tribe. While the first narrative track sheds intriguing (and sobering) light on whaling strategies and history, the latter two are emotionally involving and expose the interconnectedness of humans and whales with eloquence and insight. In one of many hard-hitting moments, Siku's "grief was heard through the ocean" after he sees his mother killed by a harpoon. Jean Craighead George's knowledge of and talent for depicting the natural world are in full evidence in this immersive epic that combines themes of conservation and native mysticism. A powerful finale for the author and a fine tribute to her literary legacy. Ages 9–11. (Apr.)
Ice Whale
From the most celebrated children's nature writer of our time comes a posthumous new novel in the tradition of her Newbery award-winning "Julie of the Wolves" In 1848 in Barrow, Alaska, a young Eskimo boy witnesses a rare sight--the birth of a bowhead, or ice whale, that he calls Siku. But when he unwittingly guides Yankee whalers to a pod of bowhead whales, all the whales are killed. For this act, the boy receives a curse of banishment. Through the generations, this curse is handed down. Siku, the ice whale, returns year after year, in reality and dreams, to haunt each descendant. The curse is finally broken when a daughter recognizes and saves the whale, and he in turn saves her. Told in alternating voices, both human and whale, Jean Craighead George's last novel is an ambitious and touching take on the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the earth they depend on.
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Ice Whale
From the most celebrated children's nature writer of our time comes a posthumous new novel in the tradition of her Newbery award-winning "Julie of the Wolves" In 1848 in Barrow, Alaska, a young Eskimo boy witnesses a rare sight--the birth of a bowhead, or ice whale, that he calls Siku. But when he unwittingly guides Yankee whalers to a pod of bowhead whales, all the whales are killed. For this act, the boy receives a curse of banishment. Through the generations, this curse is handed down. Siku, the ice whale, returns year after year, in reality and dreams, to haunt each descendant. The curse is finally broken when a daughter recognizes and saves the whale, and he in turn saves her. Told in alternating voices, both human and whale, Jean Craighead George's last novel is an ambitious and touching take on the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the earth they depend on.
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Editorial Reviews
Product Details
BN ID: | 2940170469130 |
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Publisher: | Recorded Books, LLC |
Publication date: | 07/11/2014 |
Edition description: | Unabridged |
Sales rank: | 506,349 |
Age Range: | 8 - 11 Years |
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