#blogbookaday: The Storm Whale

Summary:  “Every day, in a house by the sea, a little boy watches his father leave for a long day’s work. One night, a great storm washes a small whale onto the beach. The boy discovers the whale is a good listener. The father discovers the boy is lonely. Together, they return the whale to the sea. And from that day on, the boy learns that the father can be a good listener too, in Benji Davies’s heartwarming tale, The Storm Whale.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Review: Little Noi lives with his father and six cats on an island. His father is very busy fishing out on the water all day and Noi is lonely. One day after a big storm, Noi finds a whale washed up on the beach and brings it back to the house to live in the bathtub. This sweet story of the a father-son relationship is powerful and poignant and so simple at the same time. Although a beached whale is a sad event and a  little boy’s loneliness is even sadder, the author was able to create a story about hope and love that is truly beautiful.

Personal Reaction: I was first drawn to pick up this book for it’s illustrations of the island and the sea – they are absolutely stunning and then I was surprised by how deep the story was with so few words. I am continually amazed by children’s authors and illustrations who can turn 32 pages into masterpieces that get to the heart and soul of human emotions and I believe this book does just that.

Title: The Storm Whale
Author: Benji Davies
Illustrator: Benji Davies
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Publication Date: September 30, 2014

This is a new idea I’m trying on my blog this year that was inspired by @donalynbooks and @heisereads – to provide a brief review of a picture book every day of 2018. You’ll get a brief summary of the story, a review of the content, illustrations and theme, my personal reaction to the book and all the pertinent publication information! Enjoy!