Storm Whale | TheBookSeekers

Storm Whale


Key stage: Key Stage 1

,

No. of pages 32

Published: 2017

Great for age 0-8 years

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'Bleak was the day and the wind whipped down, when I and my sisters walked to town...' So begins the story of three sisters and their wild and magical encounter with a whale, stranded on a beach. With illustrations full of light and movement, a powerful text that reads like a ballad, children and adults alike will be transported to beachside holidays of long ago, feel the wind in their hair and taste the salt spray, as the girls battle against huge odds to save something precious and vulnerable. The artwork moves from black and white to full colour and is expansive and nostalgic. Both author and illustrator are passionate about the natural world and environmental issues and see the book as a way to encourage others to care.

 

 

This book is the winner of numerous awards

This book has been graded for interest at 4-8 years.

There are 32 pages in this book.

This is a picture book. A picture book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The number of words varies from zero ('wordless') to around 1k over 32 pages. Picture books are typically aimed at young readers (age 3-6) but can also be aimed at older children (7+).

This book was published in 2017 by Old Barn Books .

Sarah Brennan is Hong-Kong based and her 'Chinese Calendar Tales' regularly make the bestseller charts there. She is also a Writer Ambassador for Room to Read. Jane Tanner (illustrator) studied Printmaking and Painting and taught for several years before becoming a full-time illustrator, in 1984. She is well-loved in her native Australia and has won or been shortlisted for many prestigious awards there.

 

This book has been nominated for the following awards:

Prime Minister's Literary Award
This book was recognised by the Prime Minister's Literary Award.

Teach Primary Book Award - Key Stage 1
This book was recognised in the Key Stage 1 category by the Teach Primary Book Award.

Kate Greenaway Award
The Kate Greenaway Medal is a prestigious annual award presented in the United Kingdom to honour outstanding illustration in children's literature. Established in 1955, the award is named after the famous Victorian illustrator and author Kate Greenaway, who is celebrated for her charming and distinctive illustrations in children's books. The Kate Greenaway Medal aims to recognize and celebrate exceptional illustrations in children's books, highlighting the critical role that visual storytelling plays in engaging young readers. The award is open to any book that is illustrated for children and published in the UK during the eligibility period. This includes various genres, such as picture books, graphic novels, and illustrated stories. A panel of judges reviews submissions to select the shortlist of nominated titles. The judging criteria focus on artistic merit, originality, and the ability to enhance the story being told. The shortlisted titles are announced each year, and the winner is selected from this list

This will appeal to fans of Bear Hunt, with its rhyming text and atmospheric illustrations. Landscape and form are evocatively depicted in this bitter-sweet tale of three girls finding a stranded whale. -- Sarah Donaldson

 

An absolute joy to read aloud, told in elegantly phrased rhyming couplets and with fantastic, rich illustrations throughout... powerfully brings home both the majesty and vulnerability of nature, and our place in it. (citation, Runner-up, Teach Primary Book Awards) -- Teach Primary Book Awards judges * Teach Reading and Writing magazine *

 

Storm Whale is an absolute masterpiece, gives me goosebumps, it's gorgeous lyrically and visually and makes me so proud to be a bookseller. -- Emily's Bookshop, Chipping Camden

 

(a) stunning and rather special picture book...The use of rhythm and alliteration and the choice of vocabulary convey the movement and sound of the sea and the wind so aptly that you do honestly start to feel that you are there alongside the girls... simply gorgeous. -- Anne Thompson * The Bookbag *