Whales Passing [Hardcover]

Eve Bunting (Author), Lambert Davis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

Acclaimed author Eve Bunting and illustrator Lambert Davis tell a simple story of a boy and his dad who watch from the shore as Orca whales swim by and imagine the pod's underwater life.

A young boy stands on the beach with his father. As they watch the surf, a pod of Orca whales swim by. After wondering aloud whether the whales can talk like he does, the boy then imagines the whales' conversations, and whether they are talking about him under the bubbling waves, just as he talks about them on the land.
"I bet those whales have signposts down below. An ocean mountain or a sunken ship. Maybe another whale that tells them, 'Follow me! We'll make a right at this white rock.' That is, if whales can talk."
Backmatter provides facts about these magnificent animals.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-A boy and his father stand on a cliff and watch a pod of orcas swim by. Their conversation is simple, as the man tells his son some things about the animals, and the youngster observes and asks questions. He wonders if the whales can talk, and his father tells him, "They story-tell each day they swim, from here to there and farther still." Then the boy imagines what the whales could be saying about the two people on the shore: "They lack our blubber, sad to say. But humans have no love of fat. Imagine that!" The prose is brief and poetic, sometimes even rhyming, and draws a lovely picture of a few majestic moments when a parent and child make a connection with one another and with another species. The illustrations flow across the pages with color and beauty, realistically portraying the world of both species. A concluding page about orcas will answer questions that may arise, from physical attributes to communication, and touches on what is not known. A lovely read for storytime, and a nice introduction to nature studies.
Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Eve Bunting is the award-winning author of scores of picture books and novels, including Smoky Night, winner of the Caldecott Medal. She lives with her husband in Pasadena, California. They have five grandchildren.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Blue Sky Press (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590603582
• ISBN-13: 978-0590603584
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,228,327 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eve Bunting has written more than 200 books for children, many of which can be found in libraries around the world. Her other Clarion titles for very young readers include My Big Boy Bed, which was also illustrated by Maggie Smith, and Little Bear's Little Boat, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. She lives in Pasadena, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book about whales, February 7, 2007

By 

Noreen Carey "npbc60" (NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Whales Passing (Hardcover)

My son loved this book so much we had to buy it. He took it oit of the library 4 weeks in a row. If your children likes animals, not just whales they will like this one too!

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!, May 15, 2008

By 

N. Rolves (IL, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Whales Passing (Paperback)

This is a beautifully written and illustrated book, with several facts woven throughout the story.