This book explores the wonders of the deep ocean and the endless cycle of life and death.
We follow a whale as it sinks through the vast waters, no longer alive. As it sinks from the surface where the dolphins play it drifts past swarming krill and schools of silvery lanternfish. Down it travels, the light fading the deeper it goes. It passes see-through worms and shapeshifting dumbo octopuses, until the lifeless whale comes to rest on the ocean floor, where ‘colour is forgotten and plants can’t grow’.
‘The whale is an ocean … an oasis of plenty … a rare-chance feast.’
What follows is a remarkable unfolding of life. Sleeper sharks arrive first, then ratfish, snow crabs and brittle stars. The whale becomes a world of abundance. Tiny crawlers, clams, octopuses and worms that resemble ferns all gather in a quiet, intricate feast.
Time passes. Seasons shift. The whale is gone, yet its gift remains.
Worm eggs – like sea snow – rise with the currents, feeding deep-diving rays. As night falls, krill return to the surface. A whale swims through, opening her vast mouth to gather them. Belly full, she moves on toward warmer waters, where life begins again.
This beautifully told story is best read slowly and savoured. The illustrations mirror the descent, gradually darkening as we sink deeper, before revealing the extraordinary richness of life below. It is a quiet reminder that from one death comes a riot of life.
Thoughtful, lyrical and carefully crafted – a modern classic.
Reviewed by Jane Stephens
Age Guide 5+
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Claire Saxby writes award-winning fiction, non-fiction and poetry for young people in picture books, chapter books and novels. She is fascinated by our world and writes to share and encourage curiosity and wonder.
Visit Claire Saxby’s website here
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Read more about the book on the publisher’s website here.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Books have always been a vital part of Peter Cheong’s life. Growing up reading Roald Dahl and having adventures with Calvin and Hobbes, Peter was heavily influenced by the way Quentin Blake and Bill Watterson brought stories to life. After spending several years in the Australian Army, Peter decided to pursue his dream of a career in books. He is the illustrator of I’m a Hero Too, Nothing Alike and Anh Do’s Pow Pow Pig series, and has written and illustrated his own children’s books, Every Night at Midnight and Where We Can Hear the Giants Sing. Peter lives in Perth (Whadjuk Country), Western Australia, with his very understanding wife and sons, and less understanding cat.
Photo credit: Michael Cheong
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