Book cover of Watching Giants: The Secret Lives of Whales

Book description

Personal, anecdotal, and highly engaging, "Watching Giants" opens a window on a world that seems quite like our own, yet is so different that understanding it pushes the very limits of our senses. Elin Kelsey's colorful first-person account, drawing from her rich, often humorous, everyday experiences as a mother, a…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Watching Giants as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Kelsey’s book is a graceful mix of science and personal odyssey. She hangs out with whale scientists and asks smart questions. Her subjects are as much the scientists as the whales, including Chris Clark who studies the acoustics of whales and our increasingly noisy oceans. She takes us on her personal journey to the last page where she concludes that whales “inspire me to act more generously.”

From Jim's list on cool facts about whales.

Kelsey is a mother, a scientist, and a writer and her revelations of the lives of whales, are woven expertly between these critical roles. Watching Giants is an intimate story, immersing readers in a mysterious watery world. Kelsey dives deep, sharing knowledge and detailed observations of these vulnerable species. 

I read Watching Giants whilst researching my own picture books and her experiences have stayed with me. Her gentle words and scientific insights reveal new perspectives on the lives of these ever gentle giants.

If you love Watching Giants...

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These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas,

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

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