Denny rescues a baby seal caught in an oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska. She takes the seal—whom she names Prince William—to an emergency animal rescue facility, where he, with hundreds of other animals, is cared for and cleaned of oil. Denny follows his progress for weeks, until Prince William is ready to return to the sea. The story is based upon actual events and brings home the suffering experienced by wildlife. The reader can see, in both text and illustrations, the ecological impact of oil spills, and the effort involved in attempting to restore the damage. An author’s note at the end of the book tells of the Alaskan schoolchildren whose volunteer efforts helped save the lives of many seals.