written by Lynn Brunelle, illustrated by Jason Chin
48 pages, 4–8 years; published 2024 by Neal Porter Books/Holiday House Publishing
Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall shares an incredible amount of scientific information. Lynn Burnell expertly weaves facts into a story about a whale’s life that never feels didactic and yet offers the reader so much to learn about a marine ecosystem. Jason Chin’s detailed paintings amplify the beauty of this life cycle and bring clarity to a complex subject. Additional back matter organizes the information for in-depth teaching or deep conversations with inquisitive kids. This book has won several awards and lives up to them all.