“This book is a gorgeous journey…You will be glad you’ve joined her.” —Susan Orlean, author of On Animals and The Library Book
In this memoir of motherhood, love, and resilience, a woman and her toddler son follow the grey whale migration from Mexico to northernmost Alaska.
In this striking blend of nature writing, whale science, and memoir, Doreen Cunningham interweaves two stories: tracking the extraordinary northward migration of the grey whales with a mischievous toddler in tow and living with an Iñupiaq family in Alaska seven years earlier. Throughout the journey she explores the stories of the whales and their young calves—their history, their habits, and their attempts to survive the changes humans have brought to the ocean.
Cunningham’s voice is powerful: sharp, profound, sensitive, and unflinching. A story of courage and resilience, Soundings is about the migrating whales and all we can learn from them as they mother, adapt, and endure, their lives interrupted and threatened by global warming. It is also a riveting journey onto the Arctic Sea ice and into the changing world of Indigenous whale hunters, where Doreen becomes immersed in the ancient values of the Iñupiaq whale hunt and falls in love. For this is Doreen’s story, too—a fierce, feminist tale, touching on her childhood and her time living in a Women’s Refuge with her baby, becoming a mother, just like the whales.
Lyrical, brave, and fearlessly honest, Soundings is an unforgettable journey.
Title alpha Soundings: Journeys in the Company of Whales
Category Nonfiction High Plus
Pages Count 320
Genre Nonfiction
Topics Doreen Cunningham. Travel. Women journalists. Great Britain. Single mothers. Whales. Whale behavior. Iñupiat. Hunting. Effect of human beings on nature. Gray whale migration. Utqiagvik, Alaska. Indigenous foodways. Motherhood. Relationships. Journalism. Sustainable hunting practices. Science and nature. Arctic Sea.
Trim Size 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
JLG Span Fall
Language English
Rights type Print
Publication date 2022-07-11
JLG Release Date Sep 2022
Minimum grade 9
Maximum grade 12
Reading level High
Format Print
Nonfiction High Plus (Grades 9 & Up)
Nonfiction High Plus
Nonfiction High Plus (Grades 9 & Up)
For Grades 9 & Up
This collection features 14 challenging and engaging nonfiction books per year, supporting classroom learning and independent exploration. Covering history, science, and current events, these books showcase excellent research techniques and encourage critical thinking. Ideal for both casual browsing and in-depth study, some selections may include adult nonfiction titles.
Illustrations/Images: Blood/Gore,Illustrations/Images: Disturbing Imagery,Language: Strong Language,Violence: Gun Violence,Violence: Sexual Assault/Rape,Violence: Torture,Violence: War/Harsh Realities of War
Discrimination: Racial Insensitivity/Racism,Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco: Reference or Discussion,Language: Strong Language,Social Issue: Political Viewpoint/Satire,Violence: General,Violence: Sexual Assault/Rape Reference/Discussion