From the Publisher: They began as land creatures. Then, for more plentiful food, or so scientists believe, whales made the water their home and evolved into the colossal, majestic creatures of the sea that we know today?the same majestic creatures that humans learned to hunt and kill: first for food and then for oil, soap, candles, furniture, and even waspwaist corsets. Rich in meat, blubber, bone, and baleen, the whale served so many purposes for humans that its stranding was seen as a gift from the sea.But now, with their numbers diminished worldwide, whales have become the subject of scientific study. Humans hunt now for a deeper understanding of cetaceans. Why would the world?s largest mammal do something that would most likely cause it to die? Around the world, scientists are trying to find the answer.
Children's Literature

News items about whale strandings are heartbreaking. The scene of one or more such magnificent creatures stuck in the sand, sometimes with marine mammal rescuers rushing to save them, is a lasting one. The accompanying question always is, ?why?? Surely, if scientists knew the answer, some of these magnificent threatened or endangered cetaceans could be saved? Part of the ?Scientists in the Field? series, this well-illustrated book recounts what people know about whales. For instance, their close prehistoric ancestor did not live in the sea; instead, it resembled a wolf. With charts and text, the first chapter explains cetacean evolution into the baleen and toothed whales we recognize today. An historical overview of whaling, plus information about movements to stop whaling for-profit round out the chapter. Especially interesting is the story of Roger Payne and Scott McVay, who discovered and publicized the humpback?s songs. The second chapter discusses why whales may strand. The sea is a noisy place, made nosier by human devices, such as cargo ships and Navy sonar. Other reasons may be illness or injury. The third chapter is about scientists who seek to find answers, oftentimes using information gathered by necropsies of dead cetaceans that have washed up on beaches. The final chapter, ?Triumphs and Tragedies,? tells about people who are intimately involved in whale rescue. This is a thoroughly-researched book that includes a long list of sources, plus an extensive index and glossary. What a find for young adult readers, a library or a high school marine science class. Reviewer: Judy Crowder
Margaret BushCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information. – School Library Journal

Gr 5-8
Hodgkins packs her text with an impressive amount of information. She begins with the natural history of whales and the history of the whaling industry and ends with the work of conservation organizations in aiding whales that strand. In between she examines several theories scientists are currently exploring to understand why this phenomenon occurs. Well-chosen color photographs amply illustrate the well-organized discussion. End materials lack books or Web sites for children but include a lengthy list of sources and a fine glossary. The multifaceted melding of natural and human history, the work of scientists, and current ecological issues will serve many classroom purposes, and the appealing subject and presentation should be widely enjoyed by nonfiction readers.