A humpback whale takes a breath and dives below the ocean’s surface where it can swim underwater for 15 minutes before coming back to the surface for more air. Meanwhile, each page spread introduces a different animal, showing what it’s doing, where it lives, and how it breathes. This informational picture book offers two layers of text: a lyrical narrative that follows the whale and other animals, and smaller, more detailed factual blurbs explaining the science behind each creature’s breathing, making the book accessible to a wider range of readers. (Personally, this informational text was my favorite part of the book. I learned a lot!) At the end of  the book, the whale returns for its next breath, water droplets arising from its spout and traveling into the atmosphere and all the way to space. (This part could have been left out IMHO but it does not detract from the book.) Gouache and pastel illustrations of mostly blue and green depict a cool  oceanic setting. It would be fun to set a timer at the beginning of the book and wait for it to go off as you read the book so children have a better sense of the length of 15 minutes. You may want to read this book twice – once with the lyrical text and again with the informational text, which would likely take about 15 minutes. There is an author’s note, more information, books and websites at the end. Ages 4--8.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

Nominated for Cream of the Crop