A humpback whale migrating south along the California coast becomes tangled in a fishing trawler's ropes and nets. As she struggles to free herself, the ropes twist more tightly around her body, digging into her skin. The whale fights until she is too tired to continue. What happens next will astound and inspire.

Based on true events, this is a story of interspecies cooperation and the importance of human responsibility to protect the earth and its many inhabitants.

Wendell Minor's breathtaking paintings illustrate the majesty of the gentle humpback whale in her blue-green undersea world and the amazing efforts of humans--creatures a mere fraction of her size--who risked their lives to save her. Back matter includes the story behind the story, further information about humpback whales, and facts about whale rescue efforts