WHALE FALL

A debut middle grade novel in the tradition of Black Beauty and The One and Only Ivan, in which a young orca who dreams of becoming the matriarch of her pod instead finds herself living a life in captivity.

Just like her grandmother, Whale dreams of becoming the matriarch and storyteller of her own pod one day. But her dream becomes a nightmare when she is captured by the Two-Legs as a youngling and is taken to a sea pen far from her home. At first, angry and scared, Whale can only think of escaping and finding her way back to her family. She even tries to trick the Two-Legs she calls Red who feeds her to lift the rope wall that keeps her a prisoner. Instead, Red tries to befriend her. Whale wants to resist him, but she's bored and lonely for her pod and despite herself, starts to look forward to his daily visits.

Just when Whale gets used to life with Red and even comes to count on his sing-song laughter becoming friends after all Whale is ripped away from the pen she's known as home for more than a year. She's taken on a long painful journey to an aquarium and made to perform. It's grueling work and hard on Whale's body, but if she doesn't perform, she doesn't eat.

After another long and difficult journey, it's not Great Mother Whale meets, but an old friend, with a sing-song laugh and red hair who's finally, in his way, set her free.

Whale Fall is a deeply moving story of family, determination and hope as a majestic creature weathers the storms of a life in captivity.

Elysia Rourke was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario and started scribbling down short stories and (very) short novels as a preteen. When not writing, Rourke can be found reading, painting, and completing jigsaw puzzles. She has a weakness for London Fogs and eggs benedict, though not always together. She currently lives in Almonte, Ontario with her husband, Chris, and their rescue German Shepherd mix, Ridley. Whale Fall is her debut novel.