The Tale of the Whale

Karen Swann Click here for biography Meet the author

Padmacandra Click here for biography Meet the illustrator

'Where land becomes sky and the sky becomes sea,
I first saw the whale, and the whale first saw me.
And high on the breeze came his sweet-sounding song –
‘I’ve so much to show you, if you’ll come along’.

Come on a magical journey of wonder and discovery from misty seaside shorelines to cold ice-capped seas. This beautiful tale of friendship between a child and a whale invites us to consider our responsibilities towards the environment and makes a direct plea to end plastic pollution.

Short listed for the 2021 North Somerset Teacher's Book Award

Praise for this book:

‘A rolling, rhyming text that scans and richly textured images celebrate the sea through a child’s lyrical journey on the back of a whale. With a concluding call to arms about clearing the ‘plastic soup’.’ THE Sunday Times CULTURE MAGAZINE

'Not since The Snowman has a journey conjured so much sheer joy, connection and imagination… empowering and positive, a book that explores our connection with the natural world, text and images working beautifully together.' BOOKS FOR KEEPS

'The combination of the melodic text, imagery and emotion make a strong connection so that when the call to action is given at the end of the tale, and the reader is invited to help the girl make a difference, it is fully likely that the audience will be 100% on board.' JUST IMAGINE

'A beautifully illustrated and sensitive story that will inspire younger children to consider the environment.' SCHOOL READING LIST

'The illustrations are stunning bringing the diverse life found in our oceans to life for the reader; there is a sense of wonder and exploration on every page.'

'Words and pictures work in perfect harmony.'

Read Mat Tobins' in depth analysis of the book here.

 

Karen Swann and Padmacandra talk about their book 

 

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