Starred Review ALA Booklist

Starred Review In yet another standout title in the Scientists in the Field series, author and photographer Lourie transports young readers to Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost town in the U.S., where scientist John Craighead George has studied bowhead whales for more than 30 years. Combining exemplary color photos and simple, vivid language, the chapters detail not only George's day-to-day methodology but also his motivation: to explore "the mystery of the whales l the things that remain unknown about the animal." George conducts his research in tandem with local Iñupiaq whale hunters, and some of the book's most engrossing passages show how crucial (and accurate) the hunters' knowledge, passed down through thousands of years, is to George's modern scientific inquiry. A chapter about George's childhood in a nature-loving family (his mother is the children's book author Jean Craighead George) and pictures of him playing electric guitar at an open-mike night in Barrow add personal dimensions, but what will draw young readers most are the rich descriptions of the Iñupiaq community, in which George has so thoroughly rooted himself, and the riveting images of the Arctic whale scientist at work on the ice, holding a giant bowhead eyeball or reaching into the immense, bloody cavern of a whale's stomach. Maps, glossaries, and suggestions for further research round out this fascinating portrait of science and daily life at the "top of the world."

School Library Journal Starred Review

Gr 4-8 Lourie skillfully describes the delicate three-way relationship that exists among the Iñupiat of Alaska, the bowhead whales, and the scientists who are there to collect data and study the animals. The Iñupiat have hunted bowheads for thousands of years and their very existence depends upon the harvesting of the leviathans. The scientists are there to determine whether the whaling done by these communities is sustainable and not decimating the bowhead population. Using a day-in-the-life format, Lourie follows one particular scientist, John Craighead George, as he goes about collecting the necessary data. The biologist is careful not to disturb the integrity of the harvest and, in fact, works closely with the Iñupiat to do what he needs to do. Interwoven throughout this daylong saga are historical information, scientific facts, and cultural tradition. Crisp color photographs on every page provide a lush complement to the engaging, informative text. Young readers will come away with a stronger appreciation of the bowhead whales, the people who both hunt and respect them, and the scientists who straddle the traditional and modern worlds to gather important information. An excellent addition to any collection. Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA

Horn Book

Whale biologist Craig George works with the Inupiaq community documenting the bowhead whale population and Inupiaq hunts. Lourie conveys George's thoughts on living in such an extreme region and explains his path to becoming a biologist. Numerous photographs capture the piercing whites, grays, and blues of Alaska in the sunny spring as well as the bloody work of taking apart a whale. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.