The spirit of Springer The real-life rescue of an orphaned orca

Gr 2--5--This narrative nonfiction book documents the work of American and Canadian researchers who rescued an orca named Springer and returned her to health, releasing her back into Canadian waters. Orca whales ordinarily swim in pods; parents and children are together all their lives. One day in 2002 a single orca calf emerged from the waves of Puget Sound. A ferry worker who saw the event informed whale experts, who determined from her dialect and markings that this calf was sick, starving, and over 300 miles from home. The book follows Springer as she relearns how to eat, figures out how to heal her own skin, finds her family members, and reestablishes her life in the wild. It also credits the First Nations people who helped to welcome her home. The simple, precise language encourages readers to follow the story's twists and turns and invest in its happy outcome. The realistic but playful illustrations convey emotion as well as fact. Post-narrative pages provide additional scientific information about Springer, orcas in general, and the environment in which orcas live. VERDICT This book is a delightful find for STEM enthusiasts and also for kids who just like a good story.--Sheri Reda, Wilmette Public Library, IL

Abler tells of 2002 rescue and relocation of an orphaned orca in the Pacific Northwest, focusing on the efforts of two Canadian scientists for narrative effect.The orphaned orca, called Springer, was first noticed swimming alone by a ferry dock near Seattle. She became a cause clbre with the public, and scientists and government officials from the U.S. and Canada worked together to save Springer. She was captured, nursed back to health, and then transported back to Canada to successfully rejoin her original pod. The fairly lengthy text details all the complex steps and dramatic circumstances of Springer's rescue and rehabilitation as well as her gradual acceptance and integration with members of her orca family. A heartwarming conclusion on the final page of the story introduces Springer's own calf, named Spirit. Vibrant illustrations with broad blue expanses of sea and sky include a wide variety of perspectives and intriguing views of orcas swimming and breaching. The attractive cover illustration shows Springer breaching to the right, leading readers straight into the book. Human characters are diverse, including First Nations people who participated in Springer's rescue. Additional material included as backmatter provides more specifics about the event, additional facts on orcas and their pods, a map of the rescue journey, and ways to improve the environment for orcas. A spirited introduction to a fascinating rescue. (bibliography, resources) (Informational picture book. 6-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.