For fans of If Sharks Disappeared, this kid-friendly picture book is a true story about how community action saved the whales of New York Harbor and reversed the effects of climate change.

Spanning from pre-colonization to today, learn how the industrial revolution, overfishing, and pollution drove whales away from New York Harbor and the Hudson River by the early 20th Century.

But the story doesn't end there.

Passionate citizens were able to band together and clean up the harbor through activism and legislation. The first whales were spotted in the Hudson after over 100 years in 2019!

Here is an uplifting environmental success story full of towering skyscrapers and underwater dramatics that highlights the power of community - voicing to readers of all ages that each of us can make a difference. Also includes backmatter on whales and water pollution around the country.

Author: Nancy F. Castaldo
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr)
Published: 03/18/2025
Pages: 40
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 8.70h x 11.20w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9780374308568


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 12/09/2024
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 02/01/2025
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2025
Booklist 03/01/2025 pg. 92
Horn Book Magazine 07/01/2025 pg. 109
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2025 - Superior,Well Above Average

About the Author

Nancy Castaldo is an environmental educator and award-winning author, who has written books about our planet for over 20 years from New York's Hudson Valley. Her books include The Farm That Feeds Us, The Story of Seeds, and Sniffer Dogs.

Chuck Groenink is the illustrator of many children's books including Hank's Big Day by Evan Kuhlman and The Library Book by Tom Chapin and Michael Mark. He grew up in the Netherlands, where he spent his formative years climbing trees, drawing, reading, and cycling. He now resides in the United States, going from Portland, Oregon, to Kinderhook, New York where he lives with his wife, dog, three cats, and several rowdy chickens.