Elysia Rourke
Aug 11, 2026
Hardcover
Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Marine Life / Science & Nature / Environment / Family / Multigenerational
Ages 10 And Up, Grades 5 And Up
A debut middle grade novel in the tradition of Black Beauty and The One and Only Ivan, in which a young orca who dreams of becoming the matriarch of her pod instead finds herself living a life in captivity.
Whale, a young orca, dreams of becoming the matriarch and storyteller of her own pod one day, just like her grandmother. But her dream becomes a nightmare when she is captured by the Two-Legs and taken to a sea pen far from her ocean home. At first, angry and scared, Whale can only think of escape and finding her way back to her family. But as the months wear on, and Whale becomes restless and lonely, she finds herself befriending her keeper, Red, named for his bright red fur. Whale starts to look forward to their daily feeding rituals and playtime as they learn to communicate. As time goes on, she even counts on Red’s singsong laughter to fill her day.
Whale, a young orca, dreams of becoming the matriarch and storyteller of her own pod one day, just like her grandmother. But her dream becomes a nightmare when she is captured by the Two-Legs and taken to a sea pen far from her ocean home. At first, angry and scared, Whale can only think of escape and finding her way back to her family. But as the months wear on, and Whale becomes restless and lonely, she finds herself befriending her keeper, Red, named for his bright red fur. Whale starts to look forward to their daily feeding rituals and playtime as they learn to communicate. As time goes on, she even counts on Red’s singsong laughter to fill her day.
A deeply moving story of family, determination, and hope as a majestic creature weathers the storms of a life in captivity.
