Day of the Whale

Nominated for the Yoto Carnegie Award for Writing 2023.

“Follow Big Blue”. These were the last words that Cam's father said to him. So Cam follows Big Blue, the giant whale-god, as does everyone else on Cetacea, an island in the flooded future.

The islanders’ lives play out under Big Blue’s rules, which are communicated to them by the enigmatic whale-talker, Byron Vos. Byron was once a marine scientist and is now organising an epic clean-up operation to revive the ocean after centuries of human greed and neglect.

But, as the story unfolds, Cam begins to wonder if all is not quite as it seems. Could there be a more complex truth behind Byron’s actions? A truth that may be connected to Cam’s father's disappearance?

Cam's quest to understand life under Big Blue leads him to new friends and shared adventures - but the truth, when he discovers it, turns out to be far more dangerous than he ever could have imagined.

REVIEWS

"In a story filled with danger, adventure, determination, daring and immense courage, Delahaye explores topical issues like climate change, truth, history and freedom as three curious youngsters unravel some dark secrets. Gripping and moving in equal measure." - Pam Norfolk, Lancashire Post

"Day of the Whale is an astounding book in many ways. As the story progresses, the hold of one man… the lies being told and the way in which the population is controlled is frighteningly credible. Underlying the whole story is the damage being done to our environment by climate change and our own actions. Young people of 12+ will find this [an] engrossing story." - Janet Fisher, Reading Zone

"Combining a powerful environmental message with a tale of intrigue and deception, ‘Day of the Whale’ is a compelling page-turner which enthralls the reader from beginning to end." - ThroughTheBookshelf.com

RESOURCES AND EXTRAS

View a trailer for the book, and download a set of free learning resources written by teacher Scott Evans.