The Storm Whale
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
The stunning bestseller by Benji Davies, winner of the inaugural Oscar's First Book Prize.
Noi and his father live in a house by the sea, his father works hard as a fisherman and Noi often has only their six cats for company. So when, one day, he finds a baby whale washed up on the beach after a storm, Noi is excited and takes it home to care for it. He tries to keep his new friend a secret, but there's only so long you can keep a whale in the bath without your dad finding out. Noi is eventually persuaded that the whale has to go back to the sea where it belongs. For Noi, even though he can't keep it, the arrival of the whale changes his life for the better - the perfect gift from one friend to another.
'A future classic and a must have for the discerning picture book fan' The Booksniffer
'The Storm Whale is an evocative portrayal of a child's need for friendship, told through the sparest of text and imagery in this beautiful picture book' The ReadingZone
'The Storm Whale is one of those rare picture books that evokes loneliness with such fragility, and that conveys such feeling and beauty that it cannot fail to move its readers… an absolute gem, do not miss out' Library Mice
'I have to admit that I was fighting back tears by the end. It's just so incredibly sweet and really pulls the heart strings!' Being Mrs C
'Charming and engaging this book gives lots of scope for child to adult discussion about feeling lonely and saying goodbye to something loved' Love All Blogs
'Poignant, sensitive and understated […] this is a not to be missed tale where the narrative thrust and emotional span transcends the simplicity of its words' Droplets of Ink
Other books from the World of the Storm Whale:
The Storm Whale in Winter
Grandma Bird
*NEW* The Great Storm Whale
Also by Benji Davies:
Grandad's Island
On Sudden Hill, written by Linda Sarah
When the Dragons Came, written by Naomi Kefford and Lynne Moore
Jump on Board the Animal Train, written by Naomi Kefford and Lynne Moore
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Noi's father is a fisherman, and when he leaves early every morning, Noi knows "he wouldn't be home again till dark." But Noi's solitary life (with the exception of the family's six cats) ends when he discovers a baby whale washed up on the beach. He gives the whale a new home in his bathtub, plays it water-themed music (note the album of Handel's Water Music by the tub), and tells it "stories about life on the island. The whale was an excellent listener." The whale must go back to the sea, of course, but not before Noi's father steps outside his grueling routine and recognizes how much his son yearns for companionship. This is a lovely story of familial rapprochement in every respect; in his debut as author, illustrator Davies's (Railroad Hank) matter-of-fact but deeply empathic storytelling is matched by crisp, evocative scenes of coastal life, from the ramshackle, weathered home where Noi and his father live to the endless expanse of the ocean at night. There's no big finish or obvious lesson, but the message about the importance of being seen is difficult to miss. Ages 4 8.
