Where's Whitney? [Hardcover]

Debbie Smith (Author)

Book Description

Whitney gets lost in an amusement park. What will she do? 4-color illustrations for children ages 4-8.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Ages 48 - This charming and creatively illustrated picture book is based on a true event that happened to the family of well-known Christian singer Michael W. Smith. It's summer, and the Smith family packs up their van--including their four children, Whitney, Ryan, Tyler, and Anna--to go join a big bunch of relatives for two weeks at a big vacation house on the beach. One day, everyone decides to go to Kidsworld for the day. Everyone has a wonderful time there. At the end of the day, the Smiths and their cousins, aunts, uncles, and great-grandpa Boompop split up between the two vans they brought and head home to the beach house. But when they get home, and everyone heads down to the beach, Dad makes an awful discovery: Whitney is not with them! Mom and Dad jump in a van and hurry back to Kidsworld, praying all the way. Will they find Whitney? Will she be safe? Young children and adults alike will appreciate the warm family focus and the common-sense and prayer-focused message about what kids should do when they're lost.

From the Author

Debbie and Michael W. Smith are husband and wife and parents of Whitney, Ryan, Tyler, Anna, and Emily. Michael W. Smith is a well-known Christian recording artist, with a number of best-selling CDs and music awards to his credit, including the American Music Award, a Grammy, and several Dove awards. This is the Smiths’ first book together. Bridget Starr Taylor is a freelance illustrator for children’s books, magazines, and newspapers. She lives with her husband, John, and three children in Greenwich Village, NY

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310207177
• ISBN-13: 978-0310207177
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,617,446 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars GREAT book; worthy of mroe than 2 stars!, August 28, 2008

By 

S. Bruen (Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Where's Whitney? (Hardcover)

While it's true there aren't formal apologies in this book, it's my opinion that it does not stop it from being a great book worthy of owning.

I am going over Stranger Safety with my son, and this story was a great book to include in our discussion. Whitney, the little girl, gets distracted (as all kids do), and winds up not leaving the amusement park with her family.
Her family wasn't necessarily being negligent, but thought she was in the second vehicle with other family members.

I liked this book because it showed Whitney practicing what you're supposed to do if you get lost: find another mom and ask for help.
This same concept is being taught in stranger safety courses, and this book did a wonderful job of showing it for children (even in the illustration).

I was disappointed to see other reviewers only giving it 2 stars. It is worth more than that.
Btw, I am also a teacher-1st grade. Each caregiver should know that this story isn't the only thing to be used when teaching this topic. It's a supplement, and a good one at that.

(On a personal level, I love that they included prayer in the story, as well as showed a good family connection, including several siblings).

3.0 out of 5 stars my son loved it, November 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Where's Whitney? (Hardcover)

A simple yet engaging tale of a family reunion which decides to go to an amusement park. Whitney does not pay attention and . . . well the story goes from there. My son loved the illustrations and the story was right on his level ( 4-5 year old). There actually is a religious end to the story, but considering the author, I thought God would be mentioned more.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The only book I've ever thrown away, June 8, 2003

By 

L. Moore (San Jose, California USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Where's Whitney? (Hardcover)

I was an English major and have been a teacher for 16 years, so when I throw away a book, there's a problem. The little girl in the story, Whitney, gets so involved in her activities or her imagination that she sometimes doesn't hear her parents calling her. When the family goes to an amusement park, her parents accidentally leave her there. The book is written from the "real-life family episode" of a Christian singer, Michael Smith and his wife. They have 5 children, so you could see how they might leave one at an amusement park. My problem is that when they go back and find the child, it is Whitney who has to apologize to her parents for not "paying attention". The parents NEVER apologize to the girl for leaving her in a frightening situation and not arriving back to pick her up until it is night time and the park is closed. I am active in my church and teach Sunday school, so the parents' prayers for Whitney's protection and safety are fine with me. I just think they should have told her they were sorry they didn't keep her protected and safe themselves. That's the parents' job, after all. I would have preferred a book that, in the end, showed the parents' admitting they weren't perfect rather than putting the responsibility for a very scary experience onto the child. If there were a zero stars rating, I'd give it to this book.