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johnnymacaroni's review against another edition
4.0
What's nice about this book is the conversational tone and how the author makes lots of comparisons-like how many people could fit in a blue whale's mouth (but don't worry they don't eat people!) and how much milk a baby calf drinks (shown with delightfully patterned milk jugs). And I learned quite a few new facts about blue whales, like that their poop is pink! The artwork is very appealing as well-a mix of paint and collage.
kimmeyer's review against another edition
4.0
The illustrations in this children's book are awesome and the accompanying text is really informative, although I could see needing to define terms and discuss it further if you're reading with actual children instead of, say, your dog. Not that I'd know..
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
4.0
Gorgeous book that tells information about the blue whale. While the text is full of facts, the illustrations keep the story more light hearted as they show comparisons and fictionalized accounts of the story.
The author's note at the beginning explains the importance of saving these magnificent creatures.
The author's note at the beginning explains the importance of saving these magnificent creatures.
jesab's review against another edition
5.0
Wheel Picks for November 2020
Read a non-fiction
Believathon III: The Mystery of the Missing Maleficarum
Clue 10- The Hand Mirror: Read a book with a beautiful cover
Read a non-fiction
Believathon III: The Mystery of the Missing Maleficarum
Clue 10- The Hand Mirror: Read a book with a beautiful cover
antlersantlers's review against another edition
4.0
A straightforward and not-too-complicated book all about blue whales. The book gives a lot of facts about these whales, and relates the scale in terms of stacked children, diggers, and other things kids readily understand. The illustration is really lovely, too. I know a couple of science-inclined 4 year olds that would really enjoy this.
backonthealex's review against another edition
4.0
This is really a reread that's been read over and over by my young readers.
Once upon a time...
a young boy takes a book off a shelf, and, lying on his bed wearing a red crown that looks suspiciously like those tissue paper crowns that come in Christmas crackers, he begins to read a book called The Blue Whale. And so do we...
Desmond's lovely meta-fiction picture book introduces readers to the magnificence of "the largest living creature on our planet," the blue whale, through factual information, comparisons, and stunning illustrations. Using simple and direct language, readers learn, for example, that the world's largest creature has a big 1,300 pound heart, actually the size of a small car; that blue whales can weight as much as 160 tons, about the same as 55 hippopotami.
A blue whale's anatomy would, of course, require it to be proportional to its size, and thus, it has a 6" eye, a 3 ton tongue, and a mouth so big 50 people could stand inside it. Not surprisingly, a full grown whale eats four tons of food per day, mainly krill, a shrimp-like sea creature. A baby blue whale can drink up to 50 gallons of its mother's milk everyday.
Desmond's text is only half the story, and her beautiful illustrations tell the rest of the tale. Done in a combination of collage, paint and color pencil, with a palette of predominantly ocean-worthy blues and whites, they offer readers an interesting mixture of realistic and imaginative images.
Be sure to read the Author's Note at the beginning of the book to better understand what she is trying to do with this book. There's lots more information throughout The Blue Whale, just waiting for a curious child to come along and begin reading.
Once upon a time...
a young boy takes a book off a shelf, and, lying on his bed wearing a red crown that looks suspiciously like those tissue paper crowns that come in Christmas crackers, he begins to read a book called The Blue Whale. And so do we...
Desmond's lovely meta-fiction picture book introduces readers to the magnificence of "the largest living creature on our planet," the blue whale, through factual information, comparisons, and stunning illustrations. Using simple and direct language, readers learn, for example, that the world's largest creature has a big 1,300 pound heart, actually the size of a small car; that blue whales can weight as much as 160 tons, about the same as 55 hippopotami.
A blue whale's anatomy would, of course, require it to be proportional to its size, and thus, it has a 6" eye, a 3 ton tongue, and a mouth so big 50 people could stand inside it. Not surprisingly, a full grown whale eats four tons of food per day, mainly krill, a shrimp-like sea creature. A baby blue whale can drink up to 50 gallons of its mother's milk everyday.
Desmond's text is only half the story, and her beautiful illustrations tell the rest of the tale. Done in a combination of collage, paint and color pencil, with a palette of predominantly ocean-worthy blues and whites, they offer readers an interesting mixture of realistic and imaginative images.
Be sure to read the Author's Note at the beginning of the book to better understand what she is trying to do with this book. There's lots more information throughout The Blue Whale, just waiting for a curious child to come along and begin reading.
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
5.0
Stunning illustrations accompany interesting facts about blue whales. A must in any picture book collection.