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SOCIAL SCIENCES
Castaldo, Nancy F.

Whales in the City

40 pp. | Farrar | March, 2025 | Trade ISBN 9780374308568 $18.99 | Ebook ISBN 9780374395162 $11.99
(2) K-3 Illustrated by Chuck Groenink. The first half of this informational picture book is narrated by the collective “we” of generations of humpback whales: “Before there were ships and streets and buildings and a city called New York, we were here.” Subsequent pages depict whales and other sea creatures cavorting in what would soon become New York Harbor, with devastating harpooning and ship traffic and choking pollution to follow. The once-rich waters are no longer habitable, and the whales take off for “cleaner waters and a safer home.” In a (somewhat abrupt) turn, the art and text shift perspective, moving onto the land, and the narrative “we” becomes the voice of New York’s human inhabitants in the decades before and after passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972. Diverse groups of New ­Yorkers are shown marching in support of environmental action; later, people clear litter from the river and enjoy boating, fishing, and other activities—eventually rejoined by a new generation of New York Harbor whales. Detailed back matter includes whale facts, a timeline, brief profiles of significant activists, and calls to action. Castaldo’s text, accompanied by Groenink’s detailed and expansive gouache and graphite illustrations, offers hope for aspiring citizen activists and makes a compelling case for taking the long view and not giving up the fight.
Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

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