Customer Reviews

Moby Dick

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This marvelous summation of Melville's classic novel succeeds in conveying the essense of that great work in just 32 pages without the implicit disrespect for the original that all too often afflicts such adaptations. The language of this fine retelling evokes the rich and complex flavor of the original without rendering the story in any way unintelligible to its young audience. I was especially pleased that Drummond chose to keep Ishmael as the first-person narrator of the story; somehow, a third-person retelling would seem at odds with the intimate tone in which Ishmael shared his epic tale with the reader. The bold, colorful illustrations that illuminate this handsome volume serve as an effective enhancement to, rather than a distraction from, the meaning of the text. I suspect that more than one young reader may someday approach Melville's text with enthusiasm and not dread as a consequence of having read or heard this fine picture book in the dimly remembered past.

I started reading this book to my son when he was less than 2 years old, he loves it and asks for it often before bed. Now that he is 2 1/2 he pretends to be Moby Dick or one of the harpooners. The drawings are poetically evocative and full of detail of water, ships, adventure and nature. The story line is true to the original and still interesting to this mom, even after many many readings. I highly recommend.

The book has to be good to be considerd a litterary classic. Melvilles book about the obssesive Ahab, the Harpooner Quequay, the former teacher Ishimial and the White Whale is an excelent read but it may be too intense for younger readers. The hellish obssesion of Ahab may be a bit to much for some children. With all of that being said I do think that everyone at some time must read this it is a work of art.