A Galaxy of Whales
by Heather Fawcett (Author)
A perfect summer read about whale watching and friendship both lost and found, from the author of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries and The Islands of Elsewhere.
When Fern hears about a photo contest with a big cash award, she decides she'll enter and win! After all, photography is her passion (and was an interest she shared with her dad, who has recently died). She knows she can take a prize-worthy photo of a whale during one of the whale-watching tours her mom runs.
But her neighbor (and nemesis), Jasper, is also planning to enter the contest. It's another frustration for Fern while she's already coping with the worry that her best friend, Ivy, might not want to spend time with her anymore. She's hoping to use the prize money to buy something that will attract Ivy's interest.
This summer story has everything: the trials and pleasures of friendship, a rousing feud and a touch of adventure, a beautiful exploration of healing after grief, a very moving finale, and a whole lot of whale-watching fascination.
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ALA/Booklist
An enthralling examination of the gut-wrenching and beautiful inevitability of change.
Kirkus
Fawcett gracefully blends the immediate experiences of her awkward but determined protagonist with a warmhearted, humorous look at a small Salish Sea community. Funny, tender, and engagingly poignant.
Publishers Weekly
Eleven-year-old Fern's father died three years ago. While her grief is still present, she's grateful that it brought her closer to her best friend Ivy, whose mother also died some time ago. When Ivy returns from a trip, however, Fern is not the first person she calls, leaving Fern jealous and unsure of their connection. Even more troublesome is her family's failing whale-watching business. The rival company, led by their neighbors, is doing much better, which has driven a wedge between Fern and their son, classmate Jasper. But when Jasper tells Fern about a photography contest--and the cash reward--she determines to collaborate with Jasper to win the prize money. As the two attempt to photograph the endangered pod of killer whales that inhabit the Salish Sea that surrounds their island home, Fern learns that there's more to Jasper than she realized. Fawcett (The Islands of Elsewhere) eschews traditional tropes surrounding friendship breakups by imbuing Fern and Ivy's relationship with nuance and tenderly depicting Fern's struggles to maintain relationships as those dynamics shift. Organically incorporated lessons regarding endangered animals and environmental challenges add further depth. Fern and Jasper are depicted on the cover with white and brown skin respectively. Ages 8-12. (May)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Review quotes
Fawcett eschews traditional tropes surrounding friendship breakups by imbuing Fern and Ivy's relationship with nuance and tenderly depicting Fern's struggles to maintain relationships as those dynamics shift. Organically incorporated lessons regarding endangered animals and environmental challenges add further depth. —Booklist Online
This sweet, summery story focuses on a small slice of life in a Canadian coastal town, but its poignant portrayal of grief and growth is universally applicable. Fern's moments of wonder and frustratio nare especially relatable, and her supporting cast is a delight, including an antagonistic but affectionate brother and a ghostly attic possum on patrol. —Booklist
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV002170 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Marine Life
Death
Families
Family life
Neighbors
Fathers
Photography
Contests
Family-owned business enterprises
Whales
Killer whales
