Already the winner of the Canadian National Book Award, this luminous picture book--a first effort for both collaborators--tells the simple story of an old man who lives alone in a house overlooking the sea. His life has assumed a cozy regularity to match the seasons: collecting firewood and clams in wintertime; planting his garden in the spring; and, in summer, watching his beloved orca whales swimming by. When his daughter comes to visit one spring with a new infant, the man has someone with whom to share his love of the natural world--especially the whales. Written in precisely cadenced prose, McFarlane's story about thecycles of life--while not a new theme--is so deftly handled that it becomes genuinely moving. (The old man dies, and his daughter comforts the child: ``Don't be sad, sweet girl. Your grandfather's spirit has gone to leap and swim with the whales.'') The meticulousness of Lightburn's pastel drawings perfectly complements this gentle scenario--his use of light and shade, for example, proves remarkable. One drawing in particular, of the old man and his granddaughter examining a small branch in the woods, serves as a compelling portrait of intergenerational love that sums up this book's joyous, life-affirming mood. Ages 4-up. (Mar.)
Waiting for the Whales illuminates the unique friendship between grandparent and child and celebrates the restorative power of the natural world.
An old man lives alone on a bluff overlooking the sea, tends his garden and waits. Only when the whales return each year to the bay in front of his cottage is his loneliness eased. Until, one day, an unexpected visitor arrives. Originally published over thirty years ago, this award-winning picture book is sure to enchant a whole new generation of readers.
Waiting for the Whales illuminates the unique friendship between grandparent and child and celebrates the restorative power of the natural world.
An old man lives alone on a bluff overlooking the sea, tends his garden and waits. Only when the whales return each year to the bay in front of his cottage is his loneliness eased. Until, one day, an unexpected visitor arrives. Originally published over thirty years ago, this award-winning picture book is sure to enchant a whole new generation of readers.
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
BN ID: | 2940175042697 |
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Publisher: | Orca Book Publishers |
Publication date: | 03/25/2015 |
Edition description: | Unabridged |
Age Range: | 8 - 11 Years |