A love letter to whales by Carnegie Medal shortlisted author Nicola Davies

Following on from her Carnegie Medal and CLiPPA shortlisted poetry book Choose Love, author and zoologist Nicola Davies has written and illustrated Blue Heart, a personal collection about whales.

Including a host of factual information and personal stories alongside Nicola’s powerful poetry and brilliant artwork, Blue Heart is a brilliant introduction to the wonderful world of whales for all ages.

Each section of the book focuses on one species of whale and includes several pages of artwork, a selection of poems inspired by the species and a range of interesting facts and personal memories from Nicola’s many experiences with them. Alongside these species-specific sections, the book also includes a foreword by marine biologist, broadcaster and writer Dr Helen Scales and a moving introduction by Nicola herself underlining the importance of protecting whales and why they are so important to our ecosystem. Species included are: humpback whale, orca, blue whale and sperm whale.

Nicola says, ‘This book isn’t fantasy, but it isn’t quite non-fiction either. It is a celebration in pictures and poems of some of the species of whales I’ve seen and spent time with. It is a very personal collection, as although it reflects some of the biology of these wondrous creatures, it is mostly about my experiences of them, and the deep and lasting impression they have made on me. I suppose you could say it’s an extended love letter.’

A brilliant combination of creative writing alongside non-fiction text, Blue Heart is perfect for use in upper KS2 and KS3 classes as well as being an entertaining and informative read for any reader aged 12+.

Nicola Davies is the author of more than 80 books including picture books, non-fiction, fiction and poetry for children and adults. She has written widely on many subjects including environmental science, children’s rights, disability, grief and refugees. Recently, two of her titles, The Day War Came and The King of the Sky, were endorsed by Amnesty UK. Her poetry collection Choose Love has been shortlisted for Carnegie Medal for Writing 2024 and the CLiPPA 2023 among a host of other award short and longlistings. Nicola is based in St David’s, Pembrokeshire.