Genre: Fiction
Setting: Cornwall, a county in England almost completely surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean.
Protagonist: Kara Wood
Antagonist: Dougie Evans, Jake
Point of View: First person – Kara’s point of view
Conflict: Kara’s conflict with herself in accepting her mom’s absence, the need to protect the coral reef.
Introduction: White Dolphin is an ecological adventure tale about a young girl, Kara Wood from a fishing community in Cornwall, England that is suffering economically due to over-fishing and the destruction of marine habitat. Kara’s mom, Kay, a marine biologist and conservationist tries to save the reef by successfully campaigning for a ten-year dredging ban to conserve the local coral reef. Unfortunately, this ban is about to expire.
In the beginning of the story, we witness a depressed Kara, who is traumatized because her mother disappeared a year ago on a dolphin-saving expedition to the Solomon Islands but Kara believes that she will return. She thinks her mother is sending her signs. She is also being bullied by Jake Evans, son of Dougie Evans. They both blame her mother for the death of the eldest son Aeron.
Kara, like her mother, has a deep love for the ocean and its creatures, especially a rare albino dolphin that she has spotted swimming in the waters near her home. She thinks that dolphin calf is a sign from her mom.
One day, Kara discovers the white dolphin lying injured on the shore. She along with Felix (a boy with cerebral palsy from London) and her mom’s friends try to save the albino dolphin calf. Felix also convinces her to follow her mom’s footsteps and try to protect the Coral reef if it means so much to her. She teams up with Felix to save the dolphin and its habitat. Together, they organize a protest and try to convince Dougie Evans, a local rich fisherman to change his plans. Along the way, Kara also learns about the challenges of being a marine biologist and the importance of protecting our oceans.
As Kara and Felix work to save the dolphin, they also learn about each other’s lives and struggles. Felix is dealing with cerebral palsy and being away from his friend, while Kara is coping with dyslexia, the absence of her mother and the strain it is putting on her father.
Ultimately, Kara and Felix’s efforts pay off and they are able to save the dolphin and its home. The novel ends on a hopeful note, with Kara realizing the power of coming together to make a positive change in the world.
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