Whale Song: The True Story of the Musician Who Talked to Orcas, written and illustrated by Zachariah Ohora. tundra, Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages 5 and up

"Marlen and Robin held their breath and sat very still. 
Haida and Chimo surfaced and swam over. 
When Paul played some more notes, the orcas began 
bobbing and moving to the sounds. 
The whales were definitely responding to the music!"

A bit of a surprise begins this inspiring story that involves "two whales, two boys and two Pauls". Paul Horn is a flute player and has two sons, Marlen and Robin. The family moved to Vancouver Island in the early 1970s, and lived close to Sealand. Visits there were many as the boys loved the aquatic animals that were housed there. Haida and Chimo, Sealand's Orcas, were their favorites. They weren't so keen on the fact that these amazing mammals lived in a fairly small pool, instead of the nearby ocean. 

At the same time that they made the move to the island, scientists were using the two orcas to learn more about them. These apex predators had not been studied. On one of their frequent visits, the Horn family met Dr. Paul Spong who was playing classical music, knowing that Haida and Chimo liked it, and that they 'sang in their own way'. 

Their father didn't like the huge whales as much as his sons did. Still, they convinced him to play his flute near the pool. The whales loved the music! On one of their daily visits, Mr. Horn played a note that Haida matched. What a breakthrough it was! Joyful days were spent in song. 

Paul Horn's new music tour meant he spent no time at Sealand for weeks. He was sorely missed. A return to Sealand revealed that Chimo had recently died from an incurable disease, and Haida was mourning the loss. Would Paul's flute playing make a difference again? Apparently not ... until the boys suggested trying happy notes. It worked. 

Soon after that, they saw no sign of Haida in the pool. Only Paul's music soon had Haida leaping in the air close to them. Learning how badly orcas needed the freedom to be with other orcas was a most important lesson to learn.   

Back matter includes further learning about Paul Horn, Orcas, and Dr. Spong and the OrcaLab.