BEACHMASTER: A STORY OF DANIEL AU FOND, by Tom Shachtman. Illustrated by Jamichael Henterly.

“The sections of the book that stand out are those that illustrate the pleasures and perils of a sea lion’s life …. The description is memorable … the author is able to evoke strong feelings of compassion for the animals [and to make] a clear moral distinction between the violence done to sea creatures by man and the violent struggles among sea creatures…. Readers will finish the novel with an understanding of the crucial difference between sport and survival. Like the ocean itself, the story is full of life.” New York Times Book Review

WAVEBENDER: A STORY OF DANIEL AU FOND. Illustrated by Jamichael Henterly.

“A gripping, well-researched novel that explains the day-to-day existence of a sea lion; a nature story full of life and certainly worth reading.” School Library Journal

Shachtman introduced readers to a sea lion named Daniel au Fond in his first book, Beachmaster ; Wavebender is the continuation of his adventures. In an unpretentious, easy-to-read style, Shachtman’s characters describe the struggle of survival in the ocean where reality is harsh and unforgiving. Often the narrative is vividly descriptive. For instance, in one episode Daniel depicts the anguish of a whale harpooned by the bipeds (man). Readers share with Daniel the horror of the incident: the explosion, the cries of agony. Wavebender is a gripping, well-researched novel that explains the day-to-day existence of a sea lion: a nature story full of life and certainly worth reading. –L. R. Little, Penticton Public Library, B.C., Canada, School Library Journal

DRIFTWHISTLER: A STORY OF DANIEL AU FOND, by Tom Shachtman. Illustrated by Jamichael Henterly.

DRIFTWHISTLER is the culmination of a compelling fantasy trilogy, a rousing adventure that is also an eloquent call for a world in which sea mammals and humans share mutual respect.

In BEACHMASTER and WAVEBENDER, Daniel au Fond entered legend by creating a giant icon in the icy north, and by organizing a pod of whales to break up a tidal wave. Now, in his greatest challenge, he must become a “driftwhistler,” able to gather all thirteen tribes of sea mammals, from sea lions to orcas, whales, and polar bears, to brave monsters of the deep, harvest a deadly but valuable black flower, and penetrate the dark secrets of the planet’s past – and hopes for the future – locked in the heart of the long-lost haven of Pacifica.