The North Atlantic Right Whale
Past, Present and Future
by Joann Hamilton-Barry
Nimbus Publishing, 2019
ISBN 978-1-77108-748-3 (sc)
ISBN 978-1-77108-749-0 (ebook)
$19.95, 104 pp, ages 10+
nimbus.ca
Although there has been a ban on hunting right whales for almost a century, their numbers continue to decline due to
interactions with humans. The two main causes of death are entanglement in fishing nets and collisions with ships. Other reasons include fewer food sources due to habitat degradation, and increased levels of algae blooms (red tide) due to high pollution levels. The loss of 17 whales during the summer of 2017 has put this species in the category of “critical endangerment.” This book offers a history of whaling, some information on the biology and behaviour of the right whale, a description of the problems faced by the right whale, and ways that we can all help.
Classroom Connections: This book is filled with charts, maps, information boxes, photographs, captions, labels, a timeline, an index, and other non-fiction text features to support young readers. It links to many topic areas
in the science curriculum and can be used to support individual and whole class activities.
Review by Brenda Boreham.
This review is featured in Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Fall 2021 issue.
