Soren's Seventh Song by Dave Eggers, Mark Hoffmann (Illustrator); 2024. Hardcover. (Ch-PIC)

From Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author Dave Eggers, Soren's Seventh Song is a deadpan take on creativity and persistence, as told through the eyes of a humpback whale looking for a new song--with color illustrations by Mark Hoffman. Soren, a young humpback whale, loves music but is tired of the dull, droning, endless songs that are frustratingly popular among the adult whales he knows. He has ideas for better songs: shorter, up-tempo tunes with snare drums and even maracas. Unfortunately, every time he shares his new tunes with his friends, he's met with less than encouraging feedback and even a bit of discreet whale vomiting. In this upbeat story of resilience and tenacity, Dave Eggers offers readers of all ages essential creative advice: your first drafts are probably terrible.