The Tale of the Whale

The Tale of the Whale is beautiful. The poetic text tells the tale of the whale and a child who spy each other and journey together to see the treasures of the oceans but discover the horrors of plastic pollution.  Immediately the text invites you into this special relationship between the whale and the child. Together they explore the beauty of the oceans, with turtles and rays and dancing dolphins and the child sees the ocean through the eyes of her new friend, the whale.

The exquisite illustrations by Padmacandra show the allure of the ocean and the magic of the living things that inhabit and keep this incredible ecosystem alive. The child and the whale smile together but sadness comes when they see the 'soup' of plastic pollution in the ocean and the devastation is has on all the living things.

The Tale of the Whale led to wonderful discussions by my Year 2 class about taking care of the ocean, recycling and our shared responsibility to care for all living things and ecosystems, now and forever. This book has a powerful message shared through its wonderful text and illustrations.

Picture book / Reviewed by Maria Aldred, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+

This incredible book is both beautiful and harrowing. We begin by following a friendship between a child and a whale as they embark on a journey across the oceans, meeting a range of sea creatures on their way. The illustrations are soft, wonderfully detailed and dreamy. Written in first person, this story feels personal and close-to-home, and this part of the book seems light-hearted and joyful.

The gentle rhymes and magical pictures engage the reader immediately. However, the whale gets hungry and the mood of the story changes. We see how human rubbish in the seas affects the animals that live there. Being invested in the story, mine and my daughter's hearts sank at the images of plastic bags being eaten by birds and turtles caught in nets. Our hearts were lifted again, the story ends with a positive vibe as the child makes a promise to help.

The Tale of the Whale resonated with me and my five year old. She asked to do a litter pick on the beach the following day after reading it and we spoke about the animals she was helping as we filled a bag with rubbish from our local beach.  It is a book that should be read to all five year olds. Maybe that way we can raise a generation of planet-lovers who care for the environment and who endeavour to protect the creatures in it.

Picture book / Reviewed by Jemma Jeffrey, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 5+