Kindergarten-Grade 2?A poetic text describes birth-related activities of the humpback whale. Discussed in human terms, the animals dance and caress, and mother and child form a close bond. The repetitive verse?"...the deep water dark,/the deep water dark,/ singing, dancing/ in the deep water dark"?is soothing and lullabylike as it links the creatures' activities to their life underwater. The language is sometimes cliched, however, and the rhythm of the verses is not always evident. The male is described as singing to the female giving birth, and the newborn's first breath is portrayed as a frantic, dramatic moment and is the climax of the story. Not as focused upon events leading up to and including the birth, the text is unbalanced in both its poetry and fact-giving. Clear, full-color illustrations show the whales active in their habitat, with almost human expressions in their eyes. Dorothy Hinshaw Patent's Humpback Whales (Holiday, 1989) and Helen Roney Sattler's Whales (Lothrop, 1987; o.p.) give more of a sense of the drama of the life of these marine mammals and the strong connection between mother and calf. Archambault's title hints at their majestic grace, but somehow misses their awesome grandeur.?Frances E. Millhouser, Chantilly Regional Library, VA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Ages 5^-7. Best known for his collaborations with Bill Martin Jr. on lively picture books such as Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), Archambault shows his serious side here, with a melodic poem describing the birth of a humpback whale. He is more concerned with capturing the grace and majesty of the magnificent creature than he is with presenting information, but a few basics are included, woven smoothly into the text without interrupting the rhythmic flow of the verse. Skiles follows suit with pleasing watercolor illustrations that are realistic but not very informative or detailed. Esbensen's Baby Whales Drink Milk (1994) will be of more instructional value, but Archambault's book will provide excellent enrichment and be of interest to teachers searching for material to integrate science and language arts in the curriculum. Lauren Peterson
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