A resident of another island has authored a new children’s book about a beloved topic on Whidbey – whale migration.

“Twelve Daring Grays” is a story about the group of gray whales known as the Sounders that annually makes the 170-mile detour to feed on ghost shrimp in the Salish Sea. Written by Nora Nickum and illustrated by Elly MacKay, the book comes out Feb. 10 and will be available in many Whidbey bookstores.

Nickum is a Bainbridge Island resident who has written three other children’s books, including a nonfiction book for middle-grade readers about the southern resident orcas, another charismatic group of whales that regularly swim in the Puget Sound area.

A couple years ago, Nickum visited Whidbey with her family to spot the Sounders from shore. They looked for feeding pits in the mud near Langley, bite marks that measure 6 feet across that are visible when the tide is out. The giant baleen whales are known for their epic journey along the North Pacific Coast to Arctic waters.

“I think it’s so interesting that they do this unusual detour,” Nickum said. “There are 13,000 gray whales that migrate every year.”

Currently the vice president of Conservation Programs and Partnerships at the Seattle Aquarium, Nickum has had a lifelong love for the region and marine life. She thought youngsters would find it interesting that these large animals are adventurous and find their own path.

“I’m excited for kids to learn more and think about what these journeys are like,” she said.

MacKay’s artwork lends texture to the gray whales, who appear barnacled and majestic within the pages of the book.

Researchers first spotted the Sounders in the 1990s. Their numbers in the group have hovered around a dozen – some years more, some years less. Typically, February is the time of year when they begin their migration, though some arrive early and others come later. According to a previous South Whidbey Record story, Little Patch, a famous gray whale with a distinctive marking, was first spotted in the Saratoga Passage on Dec. 11, 2025.

“Twelve Daring Grays” will be available in Moonraker Books, Kingfisher Bookstore, the Book Rack and the Langley Whale Center, as well as major retailers Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The book is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection, meaning it will also be in libraries.

In addition, the author is interested in doing virtual visits with schools in the area. For more information, visit noranickum.com.

(Illustration provided) Written by Nora Nickum and illustrated by Elly MacKay, “Twelve Daring Grays” is a story of migration for the Sounders, a group of gray whales that feed near Whidbey.