Annie Chen’s Salmon Run is a beautifully illustrated picture book following the lifelong journey of a coho salmon. The book takes readers through the salmon’s life stages, from egg to spawning salmon, from the Duwamish River to the Pacific Ocean and back again. Salmon is a big part of Washington’s culture. This book will teach readers about the epic voyage these fish take throughout their lives.[Text Wrapping Break][Text Wrapping Break] At the end of the book there is a heartfelt note from Chen, in which she mentions the awe she felt watching salmon in 2023. “Seeing the salmon run reminded me of something I’ve known since I was a kid — magic isn’t limited to the world of fairy tales or fictional adventures you may find in books,” Chen writes. “There is magic and wonder hidden in the natural world, all around us”. Salmon Run evokes this magic.
The illustrations are made with watercolor which accentuate the movement that the salmon and water create. Chen zooms in close to what a salmon embryo looks like in the egg then zooms far away to show a map of the Puget Sound flowing into the Pacific Ocean. This gives young readers a sense of scale, salmon start off as tiny eggs, but then swim out to the largest ocean! What’s even more amazing, is the return back home to lay eggs and start the lifecycle again. Though Chen’s book does not touch on the decay that happens after salmon spawn, I think overall it is a beautiful way to introduce children to one of Washington’s most notable animal species. The vibrant illustrations bring magic and movement to the lives of these fish.
Salmon return to Washington waters from August through November. Some wonderful places to view salmon and learn more about them are the Ballard Locks and the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery.
Elinor Serumgard is a poet, artist, and book reviewer from Issaquah, WA. Elinor graduated from Western Washington University in 2022 with a degree in Creative Writing. For more of their work, please see elinorserumgard.com
