The Spirit of Springer

Company | Arcadia Publishing

About this product

This compelling nonfiction picture book tells the remarkable rescue story of an orphaned orca calf named Springer (A73), whose journey captured the hearts of whale lovers across the Pacific Northwest.

In 2002, a killer whale calf was found swimming alone in Puget Sound. This book narrates her incredible true story, from her identification as a member of the A4 pod, a family of Northern Resident orcas off the coast of British Columbia, to the dedicated team of scientists who worked tirelessly to save her from starvation and reunite her with her family.

Beautiful illustrations bring to life the challenges of capturing Springer, transporting her from Puget Sound to Canadian waters, and coordinating her release to encourage her acceptance back into her pod. This hopeful and uplifting conservation tale culminates in a joyful ending: Springer gave birth to her first calf, Spirit, in 2013, and a second calf, Storm, in 2017.

Beyond the engaging narrative, the book includes five pages of illustrated back matter that delve deeper into Springer's story. This section features her family tree, a map of her rescue journey, and information about the risks facing orcas and how we can help protect them.