The Eye of the Whale: A Rescue Story cover

The Eye of the Whale: A Rescue Story

Author: O'Connell, Jennifer

Reading Metrics

Grade Level Lower Grades (LG K-3)
Book Level 2.5
Points 0.5
Fiction/Nonfiction Nonfiction
Word Count 389
Points per Word 0.001285
Page Count 32
Points per Page 0.015625

Description

This book tells the true story of the 2005 rescue of a humpback whale that nearly drowned after becoming entangled in crab trap lines off the coast of San Francisco.

Quick Summary

When a massive humpback whale got tangled in crab-trap lines off the coast of San Francisco in 2005, a team of divers and volunteers launched a daring rescue that turned into a real-life drama for anyone who loves animals. The story is told from the whale's point of view, focusing on the animal's big, expressive eye, which makes the danger feel immediate and the eventual triumph feel personal. Kids who are into marine life, or who have ever worried about a pet in trouble, will be drawn in by the simple, vivid language and the photos that capture the tension and the eventual relief. There are moments that might feel a little scary some close-up shots of the whale struggling but the book always lands on a hopeful, heart-warming note, making it a good choice for a classroom read-aloud or a bedtime story. If your child enjoys this, they'll likely love the rhyming adventure of "The Snail and the Whale" by Julia Donaldson, which also shows how a tiny creature can help a giant one.