An Ocean World

From Publishers Weekly In this practically wordless picture book, a whale that has been raised in captivity is returned to the open ocean. Never having seen another of her kind, she mistakes several objects for fellow whales--a spouting boat, a submarine, a whale-shaped dirigible--until she finally comes upon a mate. Sis illustrates this gentle, quixotic tale with shimmering watercolors in all the hues of the sea and sky: the blues and greens of the sky and waves, the monotonous gray of a drenching rain over the water, the oranges and pinks of the sun. The isolation and hopefulness of the whale--who is amiable but tiny against the ocean--speak poignantly for themselves. And at every turn the reader must consider the visual similarities between often very disparate objects--the book thus becomes a rich invitation to experiment with seeing and imagining the world in new and unexpected ways. Ages 3-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal K - Grade 3-- A young whale, raised alone in the aquarium, has at last outgrown his confines and is ready to be released into the ocean. But, having never seen another whale, Sis wonders ``what it will be like for her!'' In an amusing series of illustrations, he speculates just that as he depicts her encounters with leviathan-shaped entities--a blimp, a cloud, a school of fish, a barge--until finally another whale appears. The two swim off into the sunset as love conquers all. From the dedication page to the postcard home from Ocean World, which sets up the premise, to the gently gibing drawings of an aquarium, this nearly wordless book features fine, sophisticated watercolor illustrations and sly humor. Full-page and numerous smaller frames reflect the vastness of the whale's new home, and ecological implications are raised when a barge dumps its load of trash right into her face. The pictures are appropriately muted, and the color of the sea and sky vary with the changing light. Very young children may see this as a quick glance-through picture book, but possibilities of usage abound for clever teachers and older students who can appreciate its subtleties. --Linda Greengrass, Bank Street College Library, NY -Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.