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