*Starred Review* In yet another standout title in the Scientists in the Field series, author and photographer Lourie transports young readers to Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost town in the U.S., where scientist John Craighead George has studied bowhead whales for more than 30 years. Combining exemplary color photos and simple, vivid language, the chapters detail not only George's day-to-day methodology but also his motivation: to explore the mystery of the whales all the things that remain unknown about the animal. George conducts his research in tandem with local Iñupiaq whale hunters, and some of the book's most engrossing passages show how crucial (and accurate) the hunters' knowledge, passed down through thousands of years, is to George's modern scientific inquiry. A chapter about George's childhood in a nature-loving family (his mother is the children's book author Jean Craighead George) and pictures of him playing electric guitar at an open-mike night in Barrow add personal dimensions, but what will draw young readers most are the rich descriptions of the Iñupiaq community, in which George has so thoroughly rooted himself, and the riveting images of the Arctic whale scientist at work on the ice, holding a giant bowhead eyeball or reaching into the immense, bloody cavern of a whale's stomach. Maps, glossaries, and suggestions for further research round out this fascinating portrait of science and daily life at the top of the world. --Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2009 Booklist

Craig George is a whale biologist with the Department of Wildlife Management who has lived and worked in Barrow, Alaska, for over thirty years. He works in concert with the Inupiaq community documenting the bowhead whale population and Inupiaq hunts. These data propel scientific investigations but also keep the Inupiat in compliance with International Whaling Commission regulations. Lourie brings us to the busy April hunting season, where George and his team are "on call" as each whale is hauled in (none of the hunting is profiled, just the scientific data collection on the freshly killed whale, a process lucidly conveyed here). Information comes from whale samples and measurements but also from the knowledge of the community -- both direct experience and the scientific knowledge embedded in traditional stories passed down through generations. Along with showing George in the lab and speaking to a middle-school science class, the book conveys his thoughts on living in such an extreme region and describes his path to becoming a biologist (son of noted author Jean Craighead George, George grew up in a nature-saturated family). The numerous color photographs capture the piercing whites, grays, and blues of Alaska in the sunny spring as well as the bloody work of taking apart a whale. Glossaries, lists of books and websites, and an index are appended. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 4-8-Lourie skillfully describes the delicate three-way relationship that exists among the Inupiat of Alaska, the bowhead whales, and the scientists who are there to collect data and study the animals. The Inupiat have hunted bowheads for thousands of years and their very existence depends upon the harvesting of the leviathans. The scientists are there to determine whether the whaling done by these communities is sustainable and not decimating the bowhead population. Using a day-in-the-life format, Lourie follows one particular scientist, John Craighead George, as he goes about collecting the necessary data. The biologist is careful not to disturb the integrity of the harvest and, in fact, works closely with the Inupiat to do what he needs to do. Interwoven throughout this daylong saga are historical information, scientific facts, and cultural tradition. Crisp color photographs on every page provide a lush complement to the engaging, informative text. Young readers will come away with a stronger appreciation of the bowhead whales, the people who both hunt and respect them, and the scientists who straddle the traditional and modern worlds to gather important information. An excellent addition to any collection.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.