FICTION

The Whale in My Swimming Pool

by Joyce WAN
illus. by Joyce Wan. 40p. Farrar. Apr. 2015. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780374300371.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—Wan's illustrations of rounded figures in bright colors demonstrate her professed inspiration from Japanese pop culture. A toddler in red swim trunks races outside to enjoy his blow-up pool, only to find an enormous blue whale in blissful residence. His mother's response to "Mooooooom, there's a whale in my swimming pool" is "Great honey. Don't forget about sunscreen," so the child attempts relocation via bribery, polite suggestion, and a game of fetch. He even employs a crane—which breaks. He finally decides to share the pool by climbing on the whale, and enjoys riding on its water spout. Unfortunately, when naptime arrives, the child discovers a snoring bear in his bed. Large, colorful illustrations set against ample space make this appropriate for group sharing.
VERDICT Though this tale is a bit formulaic, some droll touches, such as the shark in the neighbor's pool, keep it fun.
Reviewed by Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA
A little boy races outside to swim, only to discover a massive whale plopped atop his kiddie pool. When his cry to mom results in a reminder about sunscreen, the boy tries his own means to move the marine mammal. "Inspired by Japanese pop culture," the illustrations of plump characters outlined with thick lines humorously capture the tyke's whale-sized dilemma and clever solution.
A simply told, amusing story illustrated with winsome artwork. Kids will be entertained by the boy's repeated and creative attempts to move the whale and enjoy being in on visual jokes such as a shark lurking in the next-door neighbor's pool. Striking, understated illustrations (the whale maintains an unchanging, cheerful expression no matter what the boy does) enhance the gentle offbeat humor. The surprise ending is fun; readers will appreciate how the charming endpapers highlight the circular nature of the story.
, Apr 01, 2015

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

BOOKS

Harriet Hound
by Foster, Kate
BOOKS

Bulldozer’s Big Rescue
by Broach, Elise
BOOKS

The Jellyfish Bus
by Lee, Suhyeon
BOOKS

Sam Squirrel
by Selfors, Suzanne
BOOKS

The Friend Dilemma
by Prior, Laura Wiltse
BOOKS

Save the Pearl! (Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
by Huntley, Matt
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?