The Whales' Song [Paperback]

Dyan Sheldon (Author), Gary Blythe (Illustrator)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0614288940
• ISBN-13: 978-0614288940
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,363,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful,peaceful story., October 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: El Canto De Las Ballenas / The Whales' Song (Spanish Edition) (Hardcover)

The paintings in this book are luminous. They make the child believe there is wonder in the world. I think this book can be enjoyed by young children. My daughter is two, and she loves it. She is quite moved by the paintings.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exquisite picture book., April 30, 2000

By 

Haemi Balgassi (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Whales' Song (Hardcover)

"Once upon a time... the ocean was filled with whales. They were as big as the hills. They were as peaceful as the moon."

So begins Lilly's grandmother, who goes on to tell her young granddaughter about a time not all that long ago, when she was a girl herself... a time when whales still sang and danced in the ocean.

In the length of a picture story, author Dyan Sheldon has succeeded in creating a haunting, unforgettable glimpse into a future that might come to be. She makes our hearts ache for a loss we haven't realized yet. Her poetic, evocative text delivers a powerful message, yet is never preachy.

Equally powerful are the stunning oil paintings of illustrator Gary Blythe. His Lilly is so astonishingly real, one can almost feel the warmth of her cheeks, the softness of her dark curls, the breath from her lips as she sleeps open-mouthed in moonlight. Blythe is equally at home depicting a convincingly detailed and cluttered sitting room, as he is offering a lonely beach occupied only by a single sea shell.

The Whales' Song is a power house of a book for all ages - an absolute gem.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative, Beautiful, Appealing, November 4, 2007

By 

Jedidiah Palosaari "Not My Real Name" (Fes, Morocco) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Whales' Song (Hardcover)

I love reading this story to children at the Seattle Aquarium, and inserting their names at the pivotal points as the whales call out. This is a vivid story with beautiful illustrations. The story appeals to all young children, and especially little girls, as they relate to the main character. Sheldon introduces some gentle reminders of caring for whales for more than their meat, and then poetically and imaginatively shows us what it means to be friends with the whale. This is a story filled with magical realism, and I highly recommend it for ages 3 through 7.