In One Whale's Breath, written by Jessica Kulekjian and illustrated by Cinyee Chiu. Kids Can Press, 2026. $21.99 ages 8 and up

"with ten minutes left before 
the whale's next breath ... 

a bold shark cuts through the 
water with a 
swish-swash, 
always moving 

Some sharks, such as the great white, 
must swim with their mouths open 
so that water continuously reaches 
their gills. If they stop swimming, 
they stop breathing!"

Did you know that a humpback whale can hold its breath for fifteen minutes? If you didn't, you will be astonished to learn all that it can do within that amount of time while making its way through its ocean environment. As it inhales through its blowhole, it prepares to dive. It can then swim underwater for 15 minutes, even longer when it is at rest. As it dives, it scares a school of sardines, causing them to make a rapid exit from its path. A nearby octopus breathes in and out, crabs make their way to a safe place in the sand. 

With ten minutes of breath left, it meets other sharks that cannot stay underwater as long as it does. It also passes a camouflaged sea turtle quietly in hiding until the threat is gone. Other creatures of the ocean must absorb the oxygen they need as they have no lungs or gills for breathing. Soon, there are only five minutes before the humpback must surface. Passing a kelp forest and coming near mama otters with their babies, the humpback reaches upward, where sea gulls fill the sky, to exhale, breach, and catch another breath.

"and now that time's up ... 

an EXHALE
turns into 
a leap, 
a spin
and spray, 
carried away on the wind
like a song " 

The smaller font information provided concerning each phase of the whale's underwater adventure is very helpful, giving readers a chance to learn about other denizens of the deep and how they breathe. The illustrations were created with gouache and pastel, then finished in Photoshop. They offer a clear picture of  the underwater world and the creatures found there. The importance of oxygen and breathing techniques will be of interest to anyone wanting to know more about ocean life. Back matter shares an author's note, further information, and a list of resources.