#WhaleFall has recieved its first STARRED REVIEW!! SLJ calls the novel, "A compelling story that blends heartrending emotion with real-world scientific concepts, this exceptional novel encourages readers to consider where wild animals truly belong." On shelves September 15. #PREORDER NOW!

Black Beauty + Free Willy = Whale Fall. Out 2026.09.15 - Preorder today! #middlegradebook #freewilly #blackbeauty #readmg #kidlit #amreading #newrelease #comingsoon #preorderbooks #penguin #nancypaulsen #whalefall #bookrecommendations #booktok #bookstagram

#WhaleFall is a featured title on @millstreetbooks homepage! They ship across Canada so if you're local (or not!) #preorder your copy today and support my favourite indie bookstore! #indiebookstore #shoplocal #readmg #middlegrade #upcomingrelease #2026debut #kidlit

Part 4/? of Orca Stuff Around My House! My orca hair clip! That's it. It's cute, I love it. Here's me wearing it by the lake. #orca #killerwhale #whalefall #whalefallelysiarourke #middlegrade #debutauthor #readmg #amreading #2026debut #authorlife #kidlit

I started dreaming up the story for Whale Fall in 2018. In exactly 2 mo, it will finally be out in the world. #WhaleFall is on shelves everywhere books are sold 9/15. Preorder your copy today! #readmg #debutauthor #2026debut #kidlit #starredreview #dreamscometrue #Bookstagram #BookTok #authorlife

3/? in the series I'm calling #WhaleFallOnTheWater! Since #orcas don't belong in pools, I'm taking pictures of #WhaleFall with natural bodies of water all summer. Here's Centre Lake in #Mallorytown. Affectionately called "Stump Lake" for the stumps that poke through the water later in summer.

A dream come true: My first ever starred review from SLJ! ⭐️ VERDICT: A compelling story that blends heartrending emotion with real-world scientific concepts, this exceptional novel encourages readers to consider where wild animals truly belong. #whalefall #starredreview #SLJ #schoollibraryjournal

#WhaleFall is... Heartbreaking 💔 Uncompromising 🛡️ Unflinching 🦁 Powerful 💪 ...Available for #Preorder anywhere books are sold! 🐋 #Booklist #KirkusReviews #BookPraise #DebutAuthor #2026Debut #MiddleGradeBooks #MiddleGrade #MGBooks #KidsBooks #ChildrensBooks #BookForKids #YoungReaders

Links in bio! #Preorder anywhere books are sold! A killer whale, after being captured by humans, is forced to adapt to life in a marine park while clinging to the stories that make her the matriarch she was born to be. #MiddleGrade #BooksForKids #ReadersOfInsta #DebutAuthor #2026Debut #WhaleFall

A tall drink of water! Male #orca dorsal fins can get up to 6 feet tall! #MiddleGradeBooks #MiddleGradeReads #MGBooks #MGReaders #KidsBooks #ChildrensBooks #ReadMiddleGrade #BooksForKids #KillerWhales #OceanAdventure #OceanLife #MarineLife #OceanBooks #SeaStories #WhaleLove #OceanConservation

🍎ATTENTION TEACHERS!🍎 There are 40+ FREE worksheets for #WhaleFall available on #TPT and my website! #TeachersOfInstagram #TeachersPayTeachers #TpT #TeacherResources #ClassroomIdeas #ClassroomResources #TeacherLife #UpperElementary #MiddleSchoolELA #MiddleSchoolTeachers #HomeschoolResources

Part 3/? of Orca Stuff Around My House! These Canadian #FirstDayCovers of endangered whales from 2022. My grandfather was an avid stamp collector, so I've inherited an appreciation for beautiful stamps. #orca #whalefall #killerwhale #stampcollecting #bookstagram #canadapost #middlegradebooks

Here are the #FirstLines of #WhaleFall. At the beginning of the novel, Whale is headed to the Itching Spot with her family. But a boat lingers on the horizon... Read Whale's story on 09/15 and #preorder today! #middlegradebooks #middleschoolreading #debutauthor #2026debut #bookstagram

One of my goals for 2026 was creating a fun, educational #novelstudy guide to go with #WhaleFall. The result is a guide that includes 40+ FREE #worksheets. It is available on #TPT and my website - I'm really proud of it! 🐋 🍎 👩‍🏫 #middleschoolreading #freeteachingresources #englishteacher #amteaching

2/? in the series I'm calling #WhaleFallOnTheWater! Since #orcas don't belong in pools, I'm taking pictures of #WhaleFall with natural bodies of water all summer. This is my parents' dock on Bobs Lake in South Frontenac, Ontario. #keepwhaleswild #protectourwaterways #orcamonth #middlegrade #debut

“Whale Fall is...Mighty as an orca breaching water and equally as silly in its lighter moments, this debut novel is a solid recommendation for fans of Rosanne Parry and Sara Pennypacker.” —Booklist On shelves 09/15. #Preorder today! #whalefall #booklist #debutauthor #middlegrade #middleschool

Whale Fall is on shelves 09/15! Here's where it will live at @millstreetbooks in beautiful Almonte, Ontario. Preorder today from www.millstreetbooks.com and support an Indie bookstore! #WhaleFall #shelfie #bookstore #indiebookstore #debutbook #preteenreaders #amreading #orca #orcaactionmonth

Matriarchy: a social system where women, particularly mothers and female elders, hold primary power. #killerwhales #orca #orcaactionmonth #fuckthepatriarchy #amwriting #whalefall #whalefallbyelysiarourke #writingcommunity #womenled

Part 2/? of Orca Stuff Around My House! Embroidery that is on the wall in my office. Hand stitched and framed by yours truly. Not sharing the pattern because I've learned that it was AI slop - so FORGET THAT - but here is the HUMAN MADE result. #orca #embroidery #stitch #whalefall #fuckai #noaiart

“A school of fish,” Grandmother said. “Many fish may appear as one, if you aren’t looking carefully.” Read Whale's story in WHALE FALL on 09/15. #preordertoday! #bookquote #whalefall #whalefallelysiarourke #orca #killerwhale #amreading #middlegrade #novelstudy #2026debut #debutauthor

Did you know? There are 40+ FREE worksheets for #WhaleFall available on #TPT and my website! #middlegradebooks #middleschoolreading #novelstudy #readalong #worksheets #tpt #freeteachingresources #englishteacher #amteaching #schoolvisit #homeschoolresources

The 1st in a series I'm calling #WhaleFallOnTheWater! Since #orcas don't belong in pools, I'm taking pictures of #WhaleFall with natural bodies of water all summer. Starting with the Mississippi River in #CarletonPlace, Ontario. #keepwhaleswild #protectourwaterways #orcamonth #middlegrade #debut

“Heartbreaking, but unputdownable.”—@shakirahwrites, author of Josephine Against the Sea and Here Lies A Ghost #WHALEFALL hits shelves 09/15. #PREORDER NOW! 🔗 in bio! #bookreviews  #amreading #amwriting #booksforkids #middlegradebooks #middlegrade #2026debut #debutauthor #nancypaulsen #penguin

"You did it, Red," Whale said. Read the rest of Red & Whale's story in WHALE FALL by Elysia Rourke on September 15, 2026. Ages 10+ PREORDER NOW! #bookquote #whalefall #orca #killerwhale #amreading #middlegrade #novelstudy #2026debut #debutauthor #nancypaulsen #penguin #preordernow

Whale Fall is on shelves 09/15! Here's where it will live at my local library. #Preorder today, 🔗 in bio! #WhaleFall #libraryshelves #shelfie #bookstore #indiebookstore #debutbook #preteenreaders #amreading #orca #orcaactionmonth

Orca Stuff Around My House! Part 1/? This is a print I found on marketplace many years ago, "Masters of the Inlet" by #BruceMuir. I couldn't find much info on the internet about it. If you know anything about it please let me know! #orca #art #middlegrade #debutauthor

Teaching #homophones? Find this worksheet and 40+ more in my FREE #NovelStudyGuide! Activities include #vocab #readingcomprehension #writing #biology and fun! Best for gr 4-8. 🔗 in bio and on my website. #teacherspayteachers #middlegrade #middleschoolreading #middleschoolnovelstudy #debutnovel

"Grump was the first simple Two-Legs Whale had ever met. He only had one note, and that was pure hatred." The humans in Whale's story vary from kind to indifferent to downright cruel. Read about all three in WHALE FALL on Sep 15. #PREORDER NOW! #bookquote #whalefall #orca #middlegrade #novelstudy

The #WhaleFall galleys are beautiful, a reminder every day that hard work, practice, and perserverance paid off. I never thought I'd *actually* have a real book coming out, but here it is. It never gets easier, but every day that I get to write is a day I'm grateful for. #debutauthor #middlegrade

Whaaaaat a new issue of Ninetween after almost a year? YUP. Check out your annual (heh) dose of writing inspo and pep talk-age. 🔗 in bio...but also right here: elysiarourke.substack.com #authornewsletter #writingadvice #writingpeptalk #whalefall #whitewhale #amwriting #writingcommunity #debut2026

“You’re pestering me,” Whale told the fish matter-of-factly after snatching at him from several angles. “I don’t like you.” Silly minnow. She’d get him soon enough. Find out Pester's fate in WHALE FALL on Sep 15. #whalefall #whalefallelysiarourke #debutauthor #nancypaulsen #penguin #preordernow

"Brother preferred to take in the scenery at a leisurely pace...He talked endlessly about the world above the water." Read Whale & Brother's story in #WHALEFALL on Sep 15. #PREORDERNOW! #bookquote #orca #killerwhale #amreading #middlegrade #novelstudy #2026debut #animalPOV #savethewhales #mgbooks

What are your favourite tropes in #middlegrade? In #WhaleFall, you'll find an #animalPOV with #foundfamily, the power of stories, fish (#orca?) out of water, and hope against all odds. #Preorder your copy, or chat with your librarian and let them know you/your child is interested! #debutauthor

Lots to share about #WhaleFall in my latest newsletter! Check it out, 🔗in bio! #middlegradeauthor #debut2026 #2026debut #penguin #whalefallelysiarourke #amwriting #amreading #booksforkids #newbooks

Thinking of studying #WhaleFall with your class? Check out my FREE 45-page #NovelStudyGuide! 40+ activities including #vocab #readingcomprehension #writing #biology and fun! 🔗 in bio and on my website. #teacherspayteachers #middlegrade #middleschoolreading #middleschoolnovelstudy #debutnovel

“The Two-Legs haven’t learned Great Mother’s lesson,” Mother had warned. “They don’t respect the ocean as we do.” Read the rest of Whale's story in #WHALEFALL on Sep 15, 2026. #PREORDERNOW! #bookquote #orca #killerwhale #amreading #middlegrade #novelstudy #2026debut #debutauthor #animalPOV

Scientists use wild orca's saddle patches to identify them! They are unique to each whale, just like our fingerprints. #Preorder #WhaleFall today, wherever books are sold. 🔗 in bio! #middlegradebooks #captivityiswrong #orca #biology #amreading #youngreaders #middlegradedebut #killerwhales

#Preorder Whale Fall anywhere books are sold! A killer whale, after being captured by humans, is forced to adapt to life in a marine park while clinging to the stories that make her the matriarch she was born to be. #youngreaders #middlegradedebut #animalPOV #booksforkids #debut2026 #whalefall

Looking for something to read this summer while you wait for #WhaleFall? Check out my fave literary magazines! All FOUR are free to read online. (Pssst. #Preorder Whale Fall today! Out 09/15). #literarymagazine #shortstory #poetry #art #freetoread #WritingCommunity #LitMag #amwriting #readingrec

"Unlike Red, who was happy just to be together, Pup needed to be constantly entertained." Read the rest of Whale's story in #WHALEFALL on Sep15. #PREORDER NOW! #bookquote #whalefallelysiarourke #orca #killerwhale #amreading #middlegrade #novelstudy #2026debut #debutauthor #nancypaulsen #penguin

Read the rest of Whale's story in #WHALEFALL #bookquote #whalefall #whalefallelysiarourke #orca #killerwhale #amreading #middlegrade #novelstudy #2026debut #debutauthor #nancypaulsen #penguin #preordernow

“Kurrah was the same with everyone: a wretched, grumpy old bird. But Whale loved him even if he ignored her. It made her feel almost normal.” Read the rest of...Kurrah's??...story in #WHALEFALL on September 15. #bookquote #amreading #middlegrade #2026debut #nancypaulsen #penguin #preordernow

This is the cleanest my desk ever gets! What do you guys have on your desks? #amwriting #2026debut #whalefall #preorder #amreading #middlegradewriter #childrensauthor #writingforkids #writingmiddlegrade #youngreaders

Whale Fall is available for a limited time on #NetGalley. Request (and then #preorder) today! #middlegradefiction #newmiddlegrade #childrenslibrary #amreading #youngreaders #ecofiction #earlyreader #reviewcopy #arccopy #arcreview #2026debut

Pssst! News and updates over on Substack! 🔗 in Bio! #authornewsletter #2026debut #whalefall #writingtips #authornews #debutauthor #middlegradewriter #amwriting #amreading #booksforkids

Thank you to @shakirahwrites for reading & blurbing WHALE FALL! She's read it *twice* now and hasn't yelled at me for making her cry even once! <3 #bookreviews #whalefall #whalefallelysiarourke #amreading #booksforkids #middlegradebooks #2026debut #debutauthor #nancypaulsen #penguin #preordernow

Knowing the science was really important to me while writing #WhaleFall. I spent a lot of time doing research and reading about how incredible #killerwhales are! Here are some fun facts about #echolocation! #Preorder today, wherever books are sold. 🔗 in bio! #middlegradebooks #middlegradedebut

If you (or your young reader!) enjoy(s) these books, give #WhaleFall a try, available everywhere books are sold September 15th. #Preorder🔗 in bio! #youngreaders #middlegrade #pax #theoneandonlyivan #blueplanet #blackbeauty #freewilly #killerwhale #conservation #theelephantsecret #songforawhale

"Red noticed Whale watching him. Eyes locked, he stretched his hand out to her..." Read the rest of Red & Whale's story in WHALE FALL by Elysia Rourke on September 15, 2026. Ages 10+ #PREORDER NOW! #bookquote #whalefall #orca #amreading #middlegrade #2026debut #debutauthor #nancypaulsen #penguin

"It was Little Sister’s first visit to the Itching Spot and Whale couldn’t wait to show her how wonderful it was." Read the rest of Whale's story in WHALE FALL by Elysia Rourke on September 15, 2026. Ages 10+ PREORDER NOW! #bookquote #whalefall #orca #killerwhale #amreading #middlegrade