Outskirts Press, INC.

An educational journey into the world of endangered orcas.

Best Book of the Year Finalist and EVVY Gold Medal Winner!

Orcas Forever is the dramatized story of a true-life event. It opens a window into the hidden lives of the three Southern Resident orca pods that inhabit the waters called the Salish Sea between the northwest coast of the United States, and the southwest coast of Canada.

The story invites young readers to follow the orcas’ daily activities as they prepare to gather for a special celebration. They will learn about the sophisticated ways these orcas communicate, the importance of their strong family ties, and their unique culture playing out beneath the waves.

The Afterword highlights the threats that the nearly extinct orcas confront from human interference and how these threats are linked to some of our environmental problems.

Review: "An affecting and informative book about a remarkable set of aquatic mammals." — Kirkus Reviews

A spectacular display starts. Some orcas perform cartwheels with forceful splashes into the water. Others show off fancy breaching techniques, launching into the air their enormous bodies, each about the size of a school bus. A group gathers to spy-hop in sync, heads vertical over the water, catching a glimpse of the snow-capped Olympic Mountains. The more muscular orcas play a game of tail lobbing by slapping their flukes against the surface of the water and creating a powerful drum-like beat. It has been a hard year, a barren year with declining numbers of Chinook salmon in the Salish Sea, but for now, the hunger pangs they have endured are forgotten. It’s party time, and this is not just any party. It’s a superpod reunion, a Southern Resident tradition to celerate a special event.