Cristina and the Whales * Cristina y las ballenas

By Marta Curti

When Cristina moves to a new house by the sea, she discovers that she has a special gift. But no one believes her. Join Cristina and her dog Mora as they try to convince everyone that she indeed can hear the whales singing. Bilingual juvenile novel in English and Spanish. Includes a reader's guide and is appropriate for classroom use. Promotes environmental awareness and foments an appreciation of nature's beauty and balance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Piggy Press Books
• Release date: May 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9789962570370

Book preview

Cristina and the Whales

1

The Sound

THE VERY FIRST NIGHT in her new house, Cristina awoke to a strange sound. It wasn’t a scary sound. In fact, it was a lovely sound. To Cristina it was the sound sunshine might make if it could sing. But, of course, it was night, and the sun was all the way on the other side of the world.

Cristina opened her eyes and sat up in bed. Cuddled up next to her was a beautiful black dog with long floppy ears, bright brown eyes and a soft, wet nose. The dog’s name was Mora, and she happened to be Cristina’s very best friend in the whole wide world.

Cristina and Mora had found each other two years ago, on the morning of Cristina’s seventh birthday. She was walking home from the store with her father, and all the ingredients for her birthday cake along with other treats for the party, over-flowed from the canvas bags they carried. She was happily thinking about all the fun she was going to have with her friends that she didn’t even notice the cardboard box in the middle of the sidewalk until she almost stepped on it. But from the corner of her eye, she noticed something very strange. The box appeared to be moving.

What do you think it is, Papa? she asked.

I don’t know, but it’s probably best not get too close.

Cristina set her bags down and, tugging anxiously on the ends of her long brown hair, she slowly walked toward the mysterious movement. Just then, a tiny head popped out of the box. It belonged to the ugliest, smallest and dirtiest dog Cristina had ever seen. Its fur was matted and it smelled like rotten fruit, but Cristina didn’t care. She loved it already. She picked up the puppy and hugged it gently.

Can we keep it?

Her father smiled and said, We have to ask your mom, but I think you just got a very unexpected birthday present.

Remembering that day made Cristina very happy. She tucked her knees up to her chest and closed her brown eyes. She had become so lost in the memories she shared with Mora that she had almost forgotten why she had woken up in the first place. But then, she heard the strange, lovely sound again and it seemed like it came from right outside her window. It was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard in her life.

Did you hear that, Mora? Cristina asked, excitedly.

Mora wagged her tail and cocked her head to one side and whined happily. Cristina knew right away what that meant: Mora had heard the sound too. In fact, from the day Cristina and Mora found each other, it seemed as if they each understood exactly what the other was thinking and that night was no exception.

Without another word, they both jumped out of bed and ran to the window.

The night sky was lit by a thousand shining stars, and Cristina and Mora listened carefully to all the night noises. They heard the whisper of the breeze rustling the leaves of the old mango tree that moved like a dancer outside