Frank's Whales

Many of us want to do something to protect the environment but we're overwhelmed by the problems. Frank's Whales does an excellent job of describing how an individual can play a critical part in preserving the well-being of enormous yet fragile creatures. Aside from the wit and humor it conveys, the book is a touching testimony of the positive impact our stewardship can have on the world around us and on our own lives.

A lot of people retire and lie in the sun. Not Frank Gromling. He rediscovered the Atlantic Ocean and discovered the Right Whale. Probably most don't realize that this species of whale migrates down the coast of the United States as far as Florida, then returns north in the summer. Thus the name and the book, "Frank's Whales." This delightful novelette recounts his adventures as he contributed his time as a volunteer assisting in the task of helping the specie survive. Ironically, being named the "Right" Whale was wrong for the species and they were hunted almost to extinction. "Frank's Whales," is loaded with facts concerning the history of the Right Whale. It gives detailed information about the specie itself and how humans can work to guarantee its survival. This is a little book that should be in every library.H. Steven RobertsonEducator and Author of "Ranch Boy" and "Acorns of Love and Wisdom."

It's a scenario that's been replayed throughout history. The numbers of a species approach the edge of extinction. Just as with Loggerhead Sea Turtles, American Bald Eagles, and Peregrine Falcons, the Right Whale has a better chance of survival because individuals not only cared about its well-being, but took action to assist. Few people may know, until Frank's Whales lands in their lap, that Northeast Florida is a critical birthing ground for the Right Whale, the rarest large whale in the Atlantic Ocean. Frank Gromling's book explores this majestic creature's natural history and the protection programs that hope to safeguard this whale's numbers, beginning with the whalers who, in prior centuries, reduced populations to a critical level, and moving forward to modern times, when ship strikes pose a serious threat.The author relates his own experiences as part of a volunteer group that records observations and data to assist government agencies in formulating plans for the Right Whale's protection.This book is perfect for many purposes. For the environmentally conscious, it's a lovely example of those who do more than protest: they give their time to help on behalf of a cause they hold dear. For any student doing a life sciences report or project, this book will also be an invaluable resource, because it offers original research from first hand accounts, something not readily available for many projects. The book is also interesting to a casual reader, because Frank Gromling tells a good story in an unpretentious, direct manner that puts the reader on the observation deck with him.A bonus in this book involves exceptional black and white photographs of these whales and other ocean species, and related charts and maps.I would highly recommend this book to any reader.