Koda and the Whales - by Carrie Newell (Paperback)

About the Book

This educational children's book follows Koda, a Golden Doodle, as she narrates adventures with her family of gray whales and ocean facts. Set in Depoe Bay, Oregon, it combines true stories, science, and lessons on friendship, curiosity, and exploration.

Book Synopsis

This educational, fully illustrated book teaches children facts about gray whales and their ocean home from the perspective of Koda, Carrie Newell's dog, as the narrator.
Based on true experiences with whales and her three dogs, the story features artwork by Jack Wiens, who skillfully blends photographs with artistic interpretation to capture marine life and the dogs' personalities.
The book includes a glossary, classroom activities, and discussion topics such as:

• Types of whales
• Whale behaviors
• How whales feed and what they eat
• Identifying individual whales in Depoe Bay, Oregon
• How Carrie trained her dogs for whale spotting and interactions
• Whale encounters

About the Author

Carrie grew up in Michigan, moved to South Dakota, and earned degrees in Fisheries and Wildlife, Zoology, Botany, and Geology. After a Master's in Invertebrate Zoology and a minor in Paleontology, she taught Marine Biology in Eugene, Oregon. While studying gray whales in Newport and Depoe Bay, she discovered they fed on mysid shrimp, leading to a graduate degree in Biological Oceanography at Oregon State University. Jean-Michel Cousteau featured her research in *Gray Whale Obstacle Course* and *Oregon Field Guide*. Now retired, she runs *Whale Research EcoExcursions* with her dog, Koda. Jack Wiens has illustrated numerous children's books for other authors and recently illustrated and wrote his own children's book for all ages named, What Bear Said about Life, Love, & Other Stuff. Also from Jack, a little book about loss, Tending Our Grief, available on Amazon. He lives in Ashland, Oregon, and loves coming to Depoe Bay to whale watch with Carrie and Koda.