Gray whales really are known as “friendlies” and something about that touched me profoundly. Having twice been hunted to the brink of extinction, they are still incredibly curious about humans and often seem to want to play with us.

Unfortunately, one of the sad facts I learned on my trip was just how much gray whales are in trouble. Like many marine animals, they are bearing the brunt of warming ocean temperatures, plastic pollution, over-fishing, offshore oil and gas development, ship collisions, and all the other myriad ways humans seem intent on destroying the natural world. There is actually a real irony in this because whales are one of the best planet savers on earth and you might even hear them referred to as “floating trees.” According to the International Monetary Fund, whales can capture and store carbon to the equivalent of thousands of trees. So, it’s really in our best interests to do as much as we can do protect them!

While I had to take a few artistic liberties with this story, in particular the timing of the gray whale migration, the Happywhale database mentioned in The Lost Whale does exist and thousands of ordinary people, like you and me, do record their sightings. This data is then used by scientists and marine biologists to monitor the impacts of climate change and human activity on the ocean. As Birch says, with knowledge comes the power to change.

If you don’t live close to the ocean, the good news is it’s not only whales that you can count. There are many similar schemes where you can count birds, butterflies, bees, bats, insects—even fungi! Wherever you live in the world, whether it be the city, the country, or the seaside, you can still be a planet superhero. You can check out what’s local to you and get involved. It’s something you might want to do with your family, your friends, or your classmates. And, ocean’s promise, I’m sure just like Rio and Marina, you’ll find monitoring wildlife and being a citizen scientist is a really fun and rewarding thing to do!

In fact, spending time in nature is one of the biggest joys I know. This book was mostly written during the pandemic and it really made me appreciate the outside world and all it offers. And for me, my favorite place in the whole world is the ocean. It’s always had a massive pull on my heart and is the first place I go whenever I feel in need of a pick-up.

I wish I had known this when I was younger. When I was eighteen, one of my immediate family members had a severe breakdown. I can still vividly recall how scared I was at this abrupt and sudden turn of events. Back then, although I had a supportive and caring unit around me, I didn’t realize how spending time in nature could ease my worry.

And so, in The Lost Whale, I tried to imagine a situation where, unlike myself, Rio had no one to shield him from the worst, and where all the responsibility and weight was on his little shoulders. But luckily, he finds a connection with the ocean and realizes being in nature is one of the best healers of all. And although he might not be able to rescue his mother, he does, in a way, end up rescuing himself.