World of Water, World of Light

An adolescent girl and a humpback whale calf form a unique interspecies connection in Spandel’s charming middle-grade coming-of-age tale.

Koholā, a recently born (and already weighing almost a ton) humpback whale calf, is frolicking with his mother, Kumu, in the bay off Maui, Hawaii. The rambunctious and curious youngster is testing his strength, trying to reach higher and higher into the air, when he sees a small sailboat. Against Kumu’s instructions, he moves close to the boat, which he names “Wind Catcher” for its beautiful white sails. Swimming alongside the vessel, Koholā looks straight into the eyes of a young girl, Makana Kā Kealoha (called Mako), and, for an instant, something passes between them. (Koholā realizes, “She wanted to talk with me”). Mako and her great uncle Kimo are on board his boat, the Li‘i Lani, when Koholā swims up next to them. Mako describes the experience: “I couldn’t speak. Or hear anything except my heart pounding.” Days later, Mako sees that Koholā is alone and she jumps into the water, swimming close enough to gently stroke his silky skin. “From the look on his face,” she observes, “you’d have thought meeting me was the thrill of his life, when really, it was the other way around.” It is the tender beginning of a relationship that propels this delightful story and will last over the coming years as both youngsters begin to find their own ways in their very different worlds, sharing a mutual passion for the ocean. Mako and Koholā serve as narrators in alternating sections—each are endearing sentient beings with a need to connect. Spandel’s fluid, upbeat prose makes the narrative believable. There is enough excitement to keep the pages turning, and the author embeds the tale with life lessons about friendship, familial relationships, competition, and cooperation, both in the worlds of humans and humpbacks. The text is chock-full of fascinating information about humpback feeding habits, lifestyles, and dangerous enemies (especially sharks and the fearsome orcas). Duplisea’s entertaining illustrations are an extra bonus.

Buoyant, engaging, and magical, with characters that linger.