A GALAXY OF WHALES

Eleven-year-old Fern’s summer is full of surprises and change.

Fern’s father, who died three years ago, was a professional photographer who helped her discover that she could capture the world any way she wanted. Now she has her sights set on a local photography contest. To Fern’s dismay, her classmate Jasper wants to win the contest, too. Their parents run rival whale watch businesses, and the two families are “mortal enemies.” Meanwhile, Fern feels frustrated that she’s drifting from her best friend, Ivy. To make Ivy jealous, Fern asks Jasper to team up on the photography contest and finds her world expanding. Fern’s grandfather takes the pair out on the family’s boat, the Zenith, to observe a pod of orcas; later, when the kids learn that one of the orcas has had a calf, they become determined to get a photo. When Ivy does something that devastates Fern, Fern impulsively heads out on the Zenith—a night that winds up being both frightening and oddly comforting. Fawcett gracefully blends the immediate experiences of her awkward but determined protagonist with a warmhearted, humorous look at a small Salish Sea community. She effectively draws parallels between Fern's sadness at the realization that Ivy has moved on from their friendship and a great loss experienced by the orca pod. Jasper’s mother is described as having brown skin; most characters read white.

Funny, tender, and engagingly poignant.