The Lost Whale

by Hannah Gold

Overview

A gorgeously written standalone from the acclaimed author of The Last Bear, Hannah Gold’s second novel is a touching story about adventure, recovery, and love—perfect for fans of Pax and A Wolf Called Wander.

When Rio is sent to live with a grandmother he barely knows in California, he feels completely alone. Then he makes a new friend on the foggy beach—a girl named Marina, who teaches him about the massive grey whales that migrate nearby.

As Rio grows to love the whales, he discovers that his mother loved them, too. He’s suddenly sure that if he can somehow find a way to connect her with these gentle giants – and especially with a particular whale named White Beak – she will get better and come to join him in California. But White Beak is missing—and Rio must embark on a desperate journey across the dangerous ocean to find her. 

An excellent choice for readers in grades 3 to 7, this fierce celebration of friendship includes information about the struggles facing real gray whales from climate change, pollution, and over-fishing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063041134
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/11/2022
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Hannah Gold is the author of The Last Bear and The Lost Whale. She grew up in a family where books, animals, and the beauty of the outside world were ever present, and is passionate about writing stories that share her love of the planet. She now lives in the UK with her tortoise, her cat, and her husband and, when not writing, is busy hunting for her next big animal story as well as practicing her roar.  

Editorial Reviews

"This superb story captures the power and mystery of the ocean as well as delivering bite-size morsels of climate change advocacy. Poignant and empowering." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"I loved sailing along this quest with Rio, a character with an abundance of determination and empathy. Full of wonder and longing, The Lost Whale is a captivating story about the desperate search for one special whale who offers a connection to home." — Lynne Kelly, author of Song For a Whale

"The Lost Whale is filled with wonder, fascinating facts and a main character with a heart as a big as a whale. You won’t want to miss it." — Annabel Steadman, author of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

Praise for The Last Bear: "Fans of Pax will appreciate this endearing story of interspecies friendship." — Publishers Weekly

“For animal lovers, defenders of the environment, and fans of female-powered stories. Touching and poignant.” — Kirkus Reviews

"Gold has an ear for descriptive language, and the close narration of April's story keeps readers intimately engaged. The book's environmental message is clear without being overpowering, and the combination of internal and external conflicts allows the story to be quiet and dramatic at the same time." — Horn Book Magazine

"A bold, unapologetic look into the devastating effects of climate change and its impact on wildlife." — School Library Journal

“This is an important first novel, important for us, for polar bears, for the planet. It is deeply moving, beautifully told, quite unforgettable.”  — Michael Morpurgo, bestselling author of War Horse

From the Publisher

This is an important first novel, important for us, for polar bears, for the planet. It is deeply moving, beautifully told, quite unforgettable.” 

Michael Morpurgo

"I loved sailing along this quest with Rio, a character with an abundance of determination and empathy. Full of wonder and longing, The Lost Whale is a captivating story about the desperate search for one special whale who offers a connection to home."

Lynne Kelly

"Gold has an ear for descriptive language, and the close narration of April's story keeps readers intimately engaged. The book's environmental message is clear without being overpowering, and the combination of internal and external conflicts allows the story to be quiet and dramatic at the same time."

Horn Book Magazine

★ 2022-08-17
A young boy discovers both his limits and his power.

Eleven-year-old Rio Turner has lived all his life in London with his American mother. But when his mother’s depression worsens and she has to be hospitalized, Rio is sent to live with his near stranger of a grandmother in California. As the story unfolds in waves of both nuance and perceptively delivered atmosphere—the ocean and California coast are evocatively rendered—Rio, resentful, lonely, and missing his adored mother, deflects his grandmother’s attempts at friendship. But then she gives him a shoe box of his mother’s childhood treasures, and Rio discovers drawing after drawing of whales. One drawing, titled White Beak, stands out for how lifelike it is, and Rio keeps it close in his pocket. Then, while walking the beach, Rio meets Marina, a girl about his age who lives on a whale-watching boat. Marina tells him that White Beak is an actual whale, and she invites Rio to come on a whale-watching trip, where he glimpses the actual White Beak on her migratory route to Mexico. Rio is entranced, and as he learns more about the magnificent creatures, including their plight as a result of human carelessness, he determines to help however he can. And then White Beak goes missing. This superb story captures the power and mystery of the ocean as well as delivering bite-size morsels of climate change advocacy. Characters read as White default.

Poignant and empowering. (author’s note, resources) (Fiction. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews