I Know the Whale (a Social Emotional Picture Book for Kids) - by Robin Yardi (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A young girl's curiosity about life and death abounds when she and Papa discover a beached blue whale"--

Book Synopsis

When a little girl discovers a beached blue whale, the biggest mammal on earth teaches her some of the largest lessons in life, about the beauty in all things big or small.

I know the whale lived.
I know the whale sang.
But when it washes ashore,
the whale isn't singing anymore.

The little girl doesn't know how to feel, and Papa tries to answer all her questions about it. Time passes, and the whale, and Papa, aren't there anymore. But when it's announced that the whale's bones will be displayed at the local museum, she knows she has to see it again. And even though it's gone, she knows that the whale is still just as beautiful as all the quiet wonderings she has about where it might be now.

This poignant picture book touches on the grief and beauty of death and loss, wonder at the scientific and spiritual unknown, and the space to embrace big questions and feelings.

Review Quotes

A stirring conversation starter. . . . Accompanied by Schu's evocative art, dominated by inky blues and blacks and rippling curves, Yardi's words are simple but lightly poetic.-- "Kirkus Reviews"

About the Author

Robin Yardi lives in the California foothills, where--every once in a while, in the dark of night--a skunk or two will sneak by and an owl will hoot. She loves good stories, odd animals, homemade cakes, and kids. An elementary school teacher and museum docent turned author and presenter, Robin teaches kids in classrooms, libraries, and museums about our extraordinary world and what it means to find your place in it through reading and writing. Find out more about Robin at robinyardi.com.

Matt Schu is the illustrator of the picture books Cut!, My Cat Does Ballet, and Cosmic Collisions. His paintings and drawings have been exhibited at Nucleus and Nucleus House galleries in Portland, and he was awarded the Regional Arts and Culture Council's Catalyst grant in 2020. He received a degree in art from the University of Oregon in 2015 and worked as a UX designer before switching focus to book illustration and fine art. He currently lives in Portland, Oregon. See more of Matt's work at matt-schu.com.