The Whales' Song (Hardcover)

by Dyan Sheldon (Author), Gary Blythe (Illustrator) "ILLY'S grandmother told her a story..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In this haunting, evocative picture book, Lilly's grandmother tells her that, when she was young, she used to leave gifts for the whales--"a perfect shell. Or a beautiful stone. And if they liked you, the whales would take your gift and give you something in return." Lilly's great-uncle Frederick claims that the story is "nothing but a silly old tale," that she shouldn't "be dreaming her life away." But one morning, Lilly, believing her grandmother's claim that "they were the most wondrous creatures you could ever imagine," drops a yellow flower into the water. " 'This is for you,' she called into the air," and later that night she sits waiting, like a mermaid on a rock, finally receiving a gift in return. Filling the night with their song, the whales call Lilly's name. Infused with the cadences of real speech, Sheldon's poetic text manages to overlay a homespun practicality with an ethereal, fairy-tale magic. The unique grandeur and beauty of these creatures, "as peaceful as the moon," are compellingly interwoven throughout the narrative. Newcomer Blythe's paintings are extraordinary. The play of light and shadow in his cozy interiors is delicately balanced against stunningly realistic faces--Lilly's purity and innocence, her elders' splendidly craggy countenances. Rendered in unusual perspectives, these vibrant panoramas of the sea and of the whales leaping from the moonlit water possess a rare luminosity and beauty that should not be missed. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3-- Lilly's grandmother tells tales of singing whales who came from miles away in answer to a child's desire to see them dance across the waves. One night, Lilly hears the whales and watches breathlessly as they "leaped and jumped and spun across the moon." Then, waking from what she thinks is a dream, she hears them call her name. Sheldon's brief story seems to be a celebration of the joys of fantasy and the belief in magical happenings. It is enriched by Blythe's wonderfully evocative paintings, which range from warm, realistic close-up portraits to dramatically moonlit seascapes. But beyond the pleasures of the dreamlike mood, the book has little substance. There is no deeper level of meaning, no foundation is offered for the idea that whales are magical, and certainly in the dolphinlike behavior of the whales there is no information on the actual habits and habitats of these wondrous creatures of the deep. --Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial; 1st edition (May 6, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803709722
• ISBN-13: 978-0803709720
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,300,658 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, loving story, exceptional paintings., January 16, 2002

By	Michelle Hall "Literaryhall" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Whales' Song (Picture Puffins) (Paperback)

As a homeschooling parent I read this book with my children as we were doing a unit study on sound.

Whales have a the ability to make a much higher pitched sound than the human ear can hear. It is their song, or communicating which facinates us.

This book offers magnificent and realistic paintings which will delight your eyes as well as your heart.

The grandmother tells of the whales, is it real or fantasy? All the while a great uncle so blatently informs the little girl what whales were used for in the past.

As we know, whales have much larger brains then ours- who is to say they would not sing for a kind gesture from a loving stranger?

This book has found a special place in our home library, I hope it will for you or someone you love as well.

6 of 6 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

"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.