10 Amazing Picture Books About Whales

Inspired by a video he saw of a real-life whale rescue, Caldecott Medal-winner Mordicai Gerstein crafted this tale of a boy who works with his father catching fish for a living. One day they find an injured whale entangled in their fishing net. While the boy’s father laments the loss of the net, and tells his son it’s too difficult and dangerous to free the whale, the boy has other ideas. He sneaks back out to the ocean and dives to cut the whale free, prompting the whale to deliver a joyful freedom celebration.

A sweet, melancholy story with a happy ending, this lyrical picture book tells the tale of a lonely whale who sings a beautiful song as he drifts through a dreamy oceanic wonderland. Although his song delights everyone around him, it doesn’t fill the void in his heart…until his enchanting music helps him find a friend. Young readers fascinated by the sea will love the bewitching watercolor illustrations of vivid seascapes riotous with underwater life.

This picture book explores the life of a baby whale. Perfect for afternoon story time with your little one, the text is spare and the illustrations are calming. The little whale ventures out on his own for the first time, with mini adventures and excitements popping up along the way. At the end of the day, he returns home to his mom. Perfect for young children venturing off to school or away from mom for the first time.

This oldie but goodie may be familiar to some parents. First published in 1971, Boris the whale has a devoted friend in Amos. And yes, Amos is a mouse. They have nothing in common. Or do they? Amos needs rescuing after a seafaring adventure gone wrong and Boris helps him out. Once Amos returns to dry land, he may just have the opportunity to return the favor.

Billy’s parents threaten him with a blue whale for a pet to teach him responsibility. He scoffs at the idea, but then a truck (parents will appreciate the delivery service name) arrives with a big, blue whale. Clever and full of humorous moments, this book takes aim at teaching readers about taking responsibility for what belongs to them. The ending has a bit of a twist, which nevertheless shows us how Billy handles a whale of a problem.

Reluctant bathers will appreciate this picture book. Bruno has been sent to the tub because he’s filthy, but there is one big problem. A whale is occupying the tub. It’s a little hard to take a bath with a whale hogging all the space. He reports this to his family, who do not believe him, not only because it seems improbable to have a whale in the tub, but also because Bruno tends to tell a lot of tall tales. Makes for a perfect pre-bath book, full of messes and bubbles, of course.

A little boy lives in a house by the sea, and after his dad heads out for a long day of work, he is lonely. But when a young whale washes ashore, his loneliness disappears. It turns out the whale makes an excellent listener. When the young boy’s father returns and finds the whale, they must return it to the ocean. It is then that the father realizes his son needs someone to listen to him. A poignant tale that teaches about quality of time together, not quantity of time apart.

When a whale is trapped in fishing lines, a fisherman sends a distress call for assistance and help soon mobilizes. Struggling to breathe, four divers risk their lives to help the whale. Based on a true story near San Francisco, this book shares a beautifully illustrated example of how humans affect whales, as well as how animal emotions often mirror the emotions we as humans feel and experience.

Whales are known for traveling far each season and always traveling in the right direction. But in the fall of 1985, a whale goes off course and finds its way into San Francisco Bay. The whale struggles to find its way out for nearly an entire month. Nicknamed Humphrey, this true story chronicles what happened to him during that time. And yes, there is a happy ending. Perfect for kids who love animals, or want to understand what can happen when animals find themselves in the wrong place.

Fact based and wonderfully researched, this non-fiction picture book is full of information. Discerning between a cows and calves, discussing feeding habits, and listing the ninety species of whales around the world, this book is a perfect addition to a science-loving child’s home library. Your budding oceanographer or marine mammal researcher will treasure this educational tome, full of fascinating facts.