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How Old Is a Whale?

Animal Life Spans from the Mayfly to the Immortal Jellyfish

Author Lily Murray
Illustrated by Jesse Hodgson
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Hardcover
$22.99 US
Candlewick | Big Picture Press
9.56"W x 12.13"H x 0.51"D   | 23 oz | 20 per carton
On sale Mar 07, 2023 | 64 Pages | 9781536229752
Age 6-9 years | Grades 1-4
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We are all on Earth but for a fleeting moment, yet no two lives are the same. From the delicate mayfly, which lives for just a few precious hours, to the death-defying immortal jellyfish, this book about animal life cycles is a celebration of creatures big and small.

Beautifully written by best-selling children's author Lily Murray, this book explores life spans across the animal kingdom, beginning with the very shortest and ending with the longest. Learn about the lives of the incredible monarch butterfly, the mysterious axolotl, the grand Galápagos tortoise, and many more in this uplifting and eye-opening book. Discover creatures who are born within a day of their mothers and others who stay infantile for almost one hundred years.

Stunning illustrations by highly commended artist Jesse Hodgson perfectly capture each animal in their natural habitat, making this both an ideal gift book as well as an educational read.
  • SELECTION | 2024
    ALSC Notable Children's Books
Well-researched text and winning visuals anchor a fascinating look at life spans.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The illustrations in this book will draw readers in immediately and the content will keep them turning the pages. Author Lily Murray provides exquisitely written text which explores life spans across the animal kingdom. . . This book spectacularly captures what a life span represents in nature. . . . With engaging content and a wealth of potential STEM connections, this is an excellent book for budding biologists, zoologists, and anyone who loves animals.
—School Library Connection (starred review)

Murray writes clearly, with a good sense of what will interest kids. The large format showcases Hodgson’s digitally enhanced colored-pencil drawings. Unified in style but varied in their settings, details, and dramatic effects, the pictures helpfully illustrate habitats and successive life cycle stages. . . An intriguing book for animal lovers young and old.
—Booklist (starred review)

From a lifespan of five minutes to immortality, the longevity of a variety of species of animals is featured in this fascinating book. . . illustrations, done in detailed colored pencil, capture the uniqueness of each creature and their habitats. A fascinating collection of animals and a unique lens through which to examine survival throughout the animal world.
—School Library Journal

Lily Murray’s thoughtful text and sweeping illustrations by Jesse Hodgson evoke a sense of wonder at the sheer range of things.
—The Wall Street Jounral

This fascinating book looks at how different life spans shape creatures' every moment, whether in a race against time or a long, slow glide, and dives into such mysteries as the monarch butterfly's multi-generational migration and the chilly lives of glass sponges and jellyfish. Readers will never look the same way again at American lobsters (life span: 100-plus years), which can regrow lost limbs, and ocean quahogs (life span: 400 years), clams that, like trees, accumulate shell bands as they age.
—The Virginian Pilot
Lily Murray grew up in the wilds of snowy nowhere, spending much of her time talking to animals and making up stories. She has continued to do this in her adult life, and now writes both fiction and nonfiction books for children. Her titles include Dinosaurium, Beneath the Waves, and Hidden Habitats: Water.

Jesse Hodgson studied illustration at the University of the West of England. She now lives and works in Bristol, England, where she has a studio space. She is the author and illustrator of several picture books. Her illustrations for Pongo were Highly Commended for the Macmillan Prize for Illustration.
Lily Murray View titles by Lily Murray
Jesse Hodgson View titles by Jesse Hodgson

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About

We are all on Earth but for a fleeting moment, yet no two lives are the same. From the delicate mayfly, which lives for just a few precious hours, to the death-defying immortal jellyfish, this book about animal life cycles is a celebration of creatures big and small.

Beautifully written by best-selling children's author Lily Murray, this book explores life spans across the animal kingdom, beginning with the very shortest and ending with the longest. Learn about the lives of the incredible monarch butterfly, the mysterious axolotl, the grand Galápagos tortoise, and many more in this uplifting and eye-opening book. Discover creatures who are born within a day of their mothers and others who stay infantile for almost one hundred years.

Stunning illustrations by highly commended artist Jesse Hodgson perfectly capture each animal in their natural habitat, making this both an ideal gift book as well as an educational read.

Awards

  • SELECTION | 2024
    ALSC Notable Children's Books

Praise

Well-researched text and winning visuals anchor a fascinating look at life spans.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The illustrations in this book will draw readers in immediately and the content will keep them turning the pages. Author Lily Murray provides exquisitely written text which explores life spans across the animal kingdom. . . This book spectacularly captures what a life span represents in nature. . . . With engaging content and a wealth of potential STEM connections, this is an excellent book for budding biologists, zoologists, and anyone who loves animals.
—School Library Connection (starred review)

Murray writes clearly, with a good sense of what will interest kids. The large format showcases Hodgson’s digitally enhanced colored-pencil drawings. Unified in style but varied in their settings, details, and dramatic effects, the pictures helpfully illustrate habitats and successive life cycle stages. . . An intriguing book for animal lovers young and old.
—Booklist (starred review)

From a lifespan of five minutes to immortality, the longevity of a variety of species of animals is featured in this fascinating book. . . illustrations, done in detailed colored pencil, capture the uniqueness of each creature and their habitats. A fascinating collection of animals and a unique lens through which to examine survival throughout the animal world.
—School Library Journal

Lily Murray’s thoughtful text and sweeping illustrations by Jesse Hodgson evoke a sense of wonder at the sheer range of things.
—The Wall Street Jounral

This fascinating book looks at how different life spans shape creatures' every moment, whether in a race against time or a long, slow glide, and dives into such mysteries as the monarch butterfly's multi-generational migration and the chilly lives of glass sponges and jellyfish. Readers will never look the same way again at American lobsters (life span: 100-plus years), which can regrow lost limbs, and ocean quahogs (life span: 400 years), clams that, like trees, accumulate shell bands as they age.
—The Virginian Pilot

Author

Lily Murray grew up in the wilds of snowy nowhere, spending much of her time talking to animals and making up stories. She has continued to do this in her adult life, and now writes both fiction and nonfiction books for children. Her titles include Dinosaurium, Beneath the Waves, and Hidden Habitats: Water.

Jesse Hodgson studied illustration at the University of the West of England. She now lives and works in Bristol, England, where she has a studio space. She is the author and illustrator of several picture books. Her illustrations for Pongo were Highly Commended for the Macmillan Prize for Illustration.
Lily Murray View titles by Lily Murray
Jesse Hodgson View titles by Jesse Hodgson

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