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This educational book teaches children facts about gray whales and their ocean home from the perspective of Carrie Newell, the author's dog, Koda, as the narrator. It is based on true stories and experiences she has had with whales and all three of her dogs for decades. Many of the drawings are from photographs or a compilation of photographs with an artistic flair to describe Koda's story. The book is illustrated by Jack Wiens, who accurately represents marine life and the dogs' personalities.
The book is fully illustrated in color and includes a glossary and classroom questions and activities at the back of the book. Topics of discussion are:Different types of whales
Whale behaviors
How whales feed and what they eat
Identifying the individual whales who live in Depoe Bay, Oregon
How Carrie trained her dogs to spot and interact with the whales
Whale encounters
About the author
Carrie grew up in Michigan, moved to South Dakota, and earned degrees in Fisheries and Wildlife, Zoology, Botany, and Geology. After completing a Master's in Invertebrate Zoology and a minor in Paleontology, she taught Marine Biology in Eugene, Oregon. While studying gray whales in Newport and Depoe Bay, she discovered they fed on mysid shrimp off the Oregon coast. This led to a graduate degree in Biological Oceanography at Oregon State University and features in Jean-Michel Cousteau's Gray Whale Obstacle Course and Oregon Field Guide. Retired from teaching, she runs Whale Research EcoExcursions and continues gray whale research with her dog, Koda.
