During a recent lunch that was not too exciting, I read a few books. They were all read online and all had recently become available. One of those books was Whalesong: The True Story of the Musician Who Talked to Orcas by Zaqchariah Ohora. The story itself is simple: a scientist named Paul and a musician named Paul and his children find a way to communicate with two orca whales. They learn a lot about communication, the whales themselves (how they play, grieve, and where they can and cannot thrive) and I would assume, people, too. But really this book is about the two whales and how the people involved added to our scientific knowledge on marine life.. 
There are fun folk art illustrations that are colorful and fit the early 1970s style. I like the rug that Paul the musician sits on, his flowing shirt with embroidery. The hairstyles are classic. Then you have the whales. You might not be able to see the actual waves moving or even the playfulness of them, but they get the job done. They fit the theme and tone well.
While the book itself is really aimed at all ages, it is not “action packed” so your more rambunctious listener might not be as interested. However, you can find ways to interact with them. It would even work up to around second grade as they could read solo and/or with help (if younger). It is a picture book, so that might turn some older readers off, but it would be a fun addition to the classroom and story time.