A Whale Is Born
An excerpt from “Ice Whale.”
The following is an excerpt from The Ice Whale, by Jean Craighead George and completed by Craig and Twig George.
Toozak‚ a Yup’ik Eskimo boy on Saint Lawrence Island, stared at the whaling ship just off the coast. For a long time it sat ominously on the sun-silvered ocean. Then‚ frightened‚ he paddled for shore. He must tell his father‚ a warrior‚ what he had seen. The ship had a red‚ white‚ and blue flag. Where was this ship from? What did the mariners who were on board it want?
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With Her Kids’ Help, Jean Craighead George’s ‘Ice Whale’ Sees Print
Ice Whale
Not far from his village he stopped. A great whale swam near him. She suddenly rolled‚ her flipper rising 10 feet above the ocean. Through the clear water Toozak saw a baby whale slide tail first from her body. He was light gray and as long as Toozak’s kayak of 14 feet. The baby‚ he thought‚ must weigh as much as all 20 dogs in my family’s dog team.
“That’s a big calf‚” he said aloud.
Toozak bowed his head out of respect. He had seen the birth of a whale! This was a great privilege. Even his father had not seen a whale born. Only the Great Spirit could have bestowed this honor upon him. Read more here.
Excerpted from The Ice Whale, by Jean Craighead George and completed by Craig and Twig George. Copyright: Dial/Penguin Young Readers.
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