Fiction writers both, the authors of this intriguing collaboration alternate passages on the gray whale, its nature, conservation history and prospects. Peterson provides an overview of the natural history of the celebrated gray whale, while Linda Hogan, a poet and member of the Chicksaw nation, tackles more philosophical issues. The two women consider, among other things, conservation and environmental issues, the pleasure of encounters with friendly gray whales, and the Makah tribe's interest in resuming traditional hunting of the whale.  (BST74, $14.00)