This cinematic picture book from critically acclaimed author and illustrator Evan Turk follows the life of a baby whale from birth, to song, to silence, to a new song of compassion and hope for a brighter future.

Two hearts, one song.
A young whale and her mother sing together.
Heartbeat.
Then the mother is gone.
One heart, one song.
The young whale swims, alone and lonely,
for days and years and decades…
until one day a little girl hears her and joins her song.
Together, they sing of hope for a brighter future.
One world, one song,
one heartbeat.

About The Author

Photo by Tate Tullier

Evan Turk

Evan Turk is an Ezra Jack Keats Award–winning illustrator, author, and animator. He is the author-illustrator of The Storyteller, Heartbeat, You Are Home: An Ode to the National Parks, A Thousand Glass Flowers, and Hello, Moon and the illustrator of Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters, which was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book; The People’s Painter; Grandfather Gandhi; and its companion Be the Change. Originally from Colorado, Evan now lives in southern California with his husband and two cats. He is a graduate of Parsons School of Design. Visit him at EvanTurk.com.

About The Illustrator

Photo by Tate Tullier

Evan Turk

Product Details

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (June 12, 2018)
Length: 56 pages
ISBN13: 9781481435208
Ages: 4 - 8
Lexile ® AD280L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

Raves and Reviews

“Finds its through-line across time and taxonomy, linking whales and humans through the centuries. The illustrations tell most of this story, while the spare, incantatory prose mostly sets the tone. . . . You leave this book with the sense of having overheard an unsettling but beautiful lullaby.”

– The New York Times Book Review

* “Compelling . . . powerful. . . . Offers up a message of peace.”

– Booklist, Starred Review

* “An achingly poignant tribute to the beauty and dignity of whales. . . . Turk’s impactful artwork reinforces the powerful, easily graspable metaphor of the heartbeat, representing the unity of human and animal life.”

– Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Turk employs an extended metaphor of shared heartbeats among living beings to demonstrate that we are all a part of the same world. . . . A beautiful and poignant piece about humanity’s past and future.”

– School Library Journal

“Artistically rendered . . . The illustrations are evocative and emotional . . . A memorable journey for sophisticated readers.”

– Kirkus Reviews