Salmon Run: An epic journey to the ocean and back by Annie Chen

A Junior Library Guild Gold Selection

★  “The art is a wonder in both style and effectiveness. . . This is an exemplary use of illustrations to convey the biological processes that are often unseeable to humans. R*" – Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

An exquisitely presented account of the life cycle of a Pacific salmon that is sure to entice young naturalists with its accessible design and inviting and informative text 

She begins as a tiny orange egg . . . smaller than a pea! Salmon Run follows a Pacific coho salmon as she begins her journey in the freshwater rivers of Washington State, travels to the vast Pacific Ocean, and finally returns to the place of her birth to spawn and begin the cycle of life once again.

During this arduous adventure that spans hundreds of miles, she will grow and change through five distinct stages of life: egg, alevin, fry, smolt, and adult. From river to estuary to ocean, she will hide from predators, search for food, and encounter a range of marine environments.

With a careful balance of scientific accuracy and luminous illustrations, Salmon Run invites young readers to explore the remarkable life of this keystone species in the North Pacific ecosystem—and the magic of its journey home.