A Symphony of Whales

During the long, cold winter of 1984-1985

a pod of  beluga whales became entrapped in Arctic ice off the coast of the Chukchi Peninsula in Siberia. A group of villagers, including the young girl Glashka, discovered them in a patch of rapidly freezing seawater and radioed a Russian icebreaker (ship) for help. The Russian icebreaker agreed to come but informed the villagers that it may take several weeks for them to arrive. The villages spent the next several weeks camping on the sea ice near the pod of whales, keeping the water from icing over so the beautiful whales could breathe.

The huge icebreaker did arrive in time

having broken a path of open water to the ocean but how to get the whales to follow their noisy engines into the channel to freedom? First they tried playing whale sounds to get the whales to follow, but the whales “huddled” together across the open water and wouldn't follow. Then Glashka had a dream of the whales following human music to freedom, so they ship's captain tried playing rock & roll, and then Russian folk music. Still the whales would not follow and time was running out. Finally, someone found some classical music, a haunting soprano violin, and the whales began to sing to each other, and then they began following the boat! They were free!

This book is based on a true story of indigenous Russians

and a ship's crew who spent seven weeks of deprivation keeping 12-foot thick shelf ice from freezing over an air hole for 3000 beluga whales. It is a beautiful story, illustrated luminously, of native cultures and caring for other creatures, and with the nod to classical music, it will be treasured by many children and their parents. The one thing that was never reported: what piece of music was played that so enchanted the whales?

Content Considerations:

Narna, the whale spirit, is credited with providing food, clothing, and heat. Glashka has the gift of hearing Narna speak.