Moby-Dick [Hardcover]

Herman Melville (Author), Jan Needle (Editor), Patrick Benson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

An award-winning author and illustrator bring Melville's masterpiece to life for a new generation of readers in a stunning gift edition.

A tragic tale of obsession and revenge set against the unforgiving sea, Herman Melville's MOBY-DICK has now been expertly edited and generously illustrated for the twenty-first-century reader. Here are the mad whaling captain Ahab, the all-observant narrator Ishmael, and the mysterious, invincible white whale himself, and here are scenes of peril and carnage, nobility and redemption — presented in Melville's original language, threaded together with passages of summary by renowned author Jan Needle. Lavish artwork by Patrick Benson, one of the finest children's illustrators working today, captures the timeless spirit of this extraordinary classic.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–9—In this beautifully designed adaptation of the classic novel, Needle sticks largely to Melville's original wording, but leaves out lengthy passages on whaling and the day-to-day workings of a seafaring voyage. New passages are delineated with an italicized font, and the tale flows fairly seamlessly between the original text and Needle's interspersed summaries and commentary. Although this is technically an abridgement, the length and complexity of Melville's text plus Needle's commentary direct it to an intermediate audience. Handsome pencil, ink, and watercolor illustrations on nearly every spread evoke the vastness and unfathomable mystery of the sea, varying from black and white to full color. A glossary and cross-section of a whaling ship assist in understanding the tale. This version of the story is for readers who want to read Moby-Dick, with its intriguing characters and thrilling adventure, but are perhaps not ready for the full-length tale.—Shelley B. Sutherland, Niles Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Considerably abridged from what Needle characterizes as Herman Melville's "enormous . . . long and rambling, even obscure" novel, this reworking, with moody illustrations on nearly every page, won't look out of place on a coffee table but still offers plenty of substance. Needle links passages of the original book, ranging in length from one line to several pages, with extended, ruminative summaries and his own comments, which are distinguished by a lighter typeface. Benson ably captures the tale's gloom and grandeur with a plethora of strong character portraits and other illustrations, mostly rendered in shadowed, atmospheric pen and ink, that burst into full color when the white whale arrives on the scene. Closing with a glossary of nautical terms and a labeled cutaway view of a typical whaling ship, this version will appeal to readers who might be after a richer literary experience than Will Eisner offers in his graphic novel retelling (2001) but are still reluctant to immerse themselves in the pleasures of the full-size leviathan. John Peters
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; First Edition edition (September 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763630187
• ISBN-13: 978-0763630188
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 0.9 x 11.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,214,125 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book with many "helps"; abridged well, February 17, 2007

By 

Laura W (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moby-Dick (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my kids, after reading about it in (I think) the Wall Street Journal. I'm in the middle of reading the unabridged book, and I unexpectedly found this book a wonderful supplement for me as well, with a map of the Pequod's journey, diagrams of whaling ships, helpful information on whaling and life in the 1800s, and evocative illustrations. It's clearly a labor of love for the author & illustrator. Any abridgement has to cut much of Melville's delightful detail (I love the line in the very first paragraph about "stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off"), but this abridgement is particularly well done; preserving much of the flavor of the original language, Mr Needle has put (shortened) versions of the original text in one (old-fashioned-looking) typeface, and bridges between these in italics. I think this will whet my kids' appetite for reading the "real thing."

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Moby Dick, June 11, 2009

By 

Jo Ann C. Munns "J. C. Munns" (Alameda Co., CA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Moby-Dick (Hardcover)

Purchased for an 8 year old gifted reader. It is a beautiful book, and she is enjoying it very much. The book arrived quickly, in good shape and for an excellent price. Excellent purchasing experience from beginning to end.

4 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not the real book!, May 19, 2008

By 

S. Howe "Geek" (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Moby-Dick (Hardcover)

Abridged. This is not the real book! It's a coffee table book meant to make people think you have read the book. If you are looking for the "real" Moby Dick, you need to look else where.