Calling the Whales

Calling the Whales

🐋💙🌊🆘

by Jasbinder Bilan

★★★

Review

A lovely Barrington Stoke read about a gorgeous whale who is stranded and desperately needs help to survive. As always, this book is dyslexia-friendly, with a clear, large font, plenty of spacing and lots of lovely illustrations to help tell the story.

When Tulsi and Satchen discover a whale trapped in a fishing net near their Scottish seaside home, they are determined to save it. They repeatedly dive into the freezing sea to try to cut the netting, but with exhaustion setting in and a storm approaching, they eventually have to admit defeat and head home to get help. But their journey home doesn't go to plan…

I loved the Scottish seaside setting in this book and the fierce determination of the characters as they set out to save the whale. The story does a great job of introducing suspense to growing readers, while also weaving in some really important messages about caring for and protecting wildlife.

It's exciting without being too overwhelming, making it a good choice for children who are beginning to enjoy more adventurous stories.

⭐ I would recommend this for Y2+, although the content is definitely suitable for older readers too!⭐

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Key information

Things I loved:

Author: Jasbinder Bilan

Illustrator: Skylar White

Release Date: 6th July 2023

Book type: Short chapter, 80 pages, paperback (dyslexia-friendly)

Reader level: Growing (content 7+)

🐋 Wildlife and conservation
🌊 Exciting seaside adventure
😬 Gentle introduction to suspense
💪 Brave, determined characters
📖 Dyslexia-friendly format
🎨 Lovely illustrations

Overview

When a majestic whale is stranded near their Scottish hometown, Tulsi and Satchen must summon all their courage to save it in this thrilling adventure from Jasbinder Bilan.

After rowing out to an island near their seaside home, Tulsi and Satchen discover a whale that has been trapped in a fishing net. Determined to try to free the poor creature, they repeatedly dive down into the freezing sea to cut the netting, but eventually, exhausted and with a storm rolling in, they have to admit defeat.

As they head for home to seek help, their boat capsizes in the storm and they’re left clinging to it, dangerously adrift. Just as they think all is lost, help arrives from an unexpected source …

A thrilling adventure with a powerful message about how we need to protect the oceans at its heart.