general resources
📖 Loud Emily by Alexis O’Neill. Emily is born with an uncommonly loud voice that she can’t seem to modulate. Eventually, she puts her impressive pipes to good use on a whaling ship. Loud Emily is set in New Bedford in the 19th century and, though it’s not really a book about whaling, it is a funny little story worth borrowing from the library. – Preschool • Elementary
📖 Whaling Days by Carol Carrick. This is a succinct introduction to the history of the New England whaling industry. Carrick describes life aboard a whaling ship, conveys the drama and danger of the hunt, and explains how the whale carcass was processed on the ship. The informative text is enhanced by woodcut illustrations. – Elementary
📖 Seabird by Holling C. Holling. "The history of America at sea is presented through the travels of Seabird, a carved ivory gull." The text and detailed illustrations convey plenty of information about life on a whaling ship. First published in 1948, this 60-page book has a vintage feel. – Elementary • Middle
📺 Into the Deep - American Experience from PBS. "Charts the rapid rise and precipitous decline of the American whaling industry, which powered the start of the industrial revolution and laid the groundwork for a truly global economy in the 18th and 19th centuries." – Middle • High
💻 Laura Jernegan: Girl on a Whaleship. Laura Jernegan, a whaleship captain's daughter, kept a journal of her family's years at sea. Follow the link above to read the journal that Laura kept during this time. If you toggle to the "Read Text" option, you will find that unfamiliar whaling terms are underlined—click on any of these terms for a brief explanation and, often, an image. This is a nice primary historical source. – All
▶️ Sea Shanties from YouTube. A video playlist of traditional sea shanties. – All