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Dive into Whale Tales!

Explore amazing whale-themed books for kids—perfect for curious minds who love the ocean!

Arapahoe Libraries

21 items

  • Join us for a Virtual Whale Watch on Wednesday, August 20 at 4:30 PM. Discover whale species off the coast of Massachusetts, observe their behaviors and learn about individual humpbacks, all from the comfort of home! Click to register.
    Web resource
  • Picture Book. A heartwarming nonfiction picture book for animal lovers, showing the surprising ways a mother whale and a human mom care for their babies just the same.
    Book, 2025New York : Alfred A. Knopf, [2025] — E NEAL
  • Picture Book. After Grandpa dies, a girl and her mom kayak along the Pacific coast searching for whales he loved. As they explore the ocean’s wonders, they find comfort, connection, and a surprising sign that Grandpa is still with them.
    Book, 2023Toronto ; Berkeley : Groundwood Books : House of Anansi Press, 2023. — E PENDREIGH
  • Picture Book. Will, a tiny and timid whale in the Caribbean Sea, sets out in search of a friend—and discovers her own voice along the way.
    Book, 2025Minneapolis, MN : Beaming Books, an imprint of 1517 Media, 2025.
  • Picture Book. A lighthouse keeper’s friendship with a whale named Blue reveals the impact of plastic waste on the ocean.
    Book, 2022Louisville, Kentucky : Flyaway Books, 2022. — E BARROUX
  • Early Reader. Corbin the orca is great at everything—until he jumps too far and gets stuck on the beach! Can his sister’s clever plan save the day and get Corbin swimming again?
    Book, 2024North Mankato, Minnesota : Picture Window Books, a Capstone imprint, [2024] — ER KOCH
  • Early Chapter Book. In this illustrated early chapter book, a boy and his grandfather team up to rescue a beached orca.
    Book, 2020[Victoria, British Columbia] : Orca Book Publishers, 2020. — J WALTERS
  • Early Chapter Book. The Secret Explorers race to save a pod of humpback whales—but when Connor and Roshini’s submarine breaks down, they might need rescuing too!
    Book, 2020New York, New York : DK Publishing, 2020. — J KING
  • Chapter Book. Iris and her grandmother set off on a road trip from Texas to Alaska, determined to help Blue-55—a whale who sings at a different frequency and can’t communicate with other whales.
    Book, 2019New York : Delacorte Press, [2019] — J KELLY
  • Chapter Book. After losing her mom, Willa struggles to adjust to life with her dad’s new family on a Washington island. On a whale-watching trip, she meets Meg, a humpback whale who becomes her secret friend and guide. With Meg’s help, Willa finds…
    Book, 2020Salt Lake City : Shadow Mountain, [2020] — J MORRIS
  • Chapter Book. While watching turtle eggs hatch, local fisherboy Razi spots a drifting boat—and a small, lifeless hand hanging over the side. Inside is Zheng, a shipwreck survivor with wild tales of sea monsters and lost treasure. But when villains…
    Book, 2022Atlanta : Peachtree, [2022] — J FAROOK
  • Chapter Book. For Vega and her family, salmon means everything. When a quake and tsunami separate Vega and her brother Deneb from their pod, she must use all her skills to guide him home—facing sharks, hunger, and polluted seas along the way. Will…
    Book, 2020New York : Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2020. — J PARRY
  • Chapter Book. Fern is coping with her father’s death, a fading friendship, and her family’s struggling business—until a surprising bond with her neighbor Jasper leads them on a mission to photograph a rare pod of killer whales.
    Book, 2024New York : Rocky Pond Books, 2024. — J FAWCETT
  • Nonfiction. While free diving in the deep, a diver witnesses the birth of a sperm whale and shares a powerful moment of connection with the pod.
    Book, 2025New York : Neal Porter Books / Holiday House, [2025] — E 599.547 CUSOLITO
  • Life After Whale

    the Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall

    Brunelle, Lynn,
    Nonfiction. A book about the rich ecosystem that springs up around the death of a whale in the deep sea.
    Book, 2024New York : Holiday House, [2024] — E 577.79 BRUNELLE
  • Nonfiction. From giant blue whales to unicorn-like narwhals and playful dolphins (they’re whales too!), discover how these amazing creatures live, eat, and care for their young. Packed with stunning photos and fun facts—like whales that live 200…
    Book, 2025Washington, D.C. : National Geographic Kids, 2025. — J 599.5 SKERRY
  • Nonfiction. Meet the ocean’s biggest creatures! This book introduces elementary kids to all kinds of whales, diving into their unique features, behaviors, diets, and underwater homes.
    Book, 2023Mankato, Minnesota : The Creative Company, [2023] — E 599.5 RIGGS
  • Nonfiction. Meet a humpback whale named Triton! Follow its journey as it swims over 2,000 miles toward home.
    Book, 2023New York : DK Children, 2023. — J 599.525 JENNER
  • Humpback Whale

    a First Field Guide to the Singing Giant of the Ocean

    De Vos, Asha,
    Nonfiction. Dive deep and discover humpback whales in this stunning nonfiction guide for kids!
    Book, 2022London : Neon Squid, 2022. — E 599.525 DE VOS
  • Nonfiction. Did you know whales breathe air like people? Or that blue whales are some of the biggest mammals ever? Dive into these cool facts and more in this updated guide to whale biology!
    Book, 2022New York, NY : Holiday House, [2022] — E 599.5 GIBBONS