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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Lame text and wordy. Not especially good art. The idea of the book was fine. Even the idea of the art was fine. But the execution was off. Just not one I'd want to re-read, and certainly not repeatedly.
By the same authors as [b:And Then It's Spring|11891485|And Then It's Spring|Julie Fogliano|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1317794308s/11891485.jpg|16850550], another beautiful book about the virtue of patience. The poetic text alerts you to all the things that may come to distract you and obliterate your chances of sighting a whale, and it's light, humorous and grave, all at the same time, just like a child's reflection. But, best of all, makes it sound so simple and within reach: If you want to see a whale/ you will need a window/ and an ocean/ and time for waiting.
And luckily, all the things to avoid, seem so worthwhile in themselves, it appears like a win-win situation.
If you want to see a whale/ there's no time to watch the pelican/ who may or may not be smiling/ while sitting, staring, looking out/ because pelicans who sit and stare can never be a whale.
If you want to see a whale/ be careful not to notice/ something inching, small and green/ across the leaf, just nibble scoot/because things that are smaller than most small things/ can't be as giant as a whale.
If you want to see a whale/ you shouldn't watch the clouds/ some floating by, some hanging down/ in the sky that's spread out, side to side/ or the certain sun that's shining/ because if you start to look straight up/ you might just miss a whale.
Just like the text, the pencil illustrations are simple and beautiful. And the mood captured by them is this time-standing-still feeling, just like in the other books illustrated so far by
[a:Erin E. Stead|4581894|Erin E. Stead|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-F-50x66-2a9d702c2a0f483c9f7dd119cc28a9a7.jpg], [b:A Sick Day for Amos McGee|7268995|A Sick Day for Amos McGee|Philip C. Stead|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312019421s/7268995.jpg|8391024] and [b:Bear Has a Story to Tell|13170028|Bear Has a Story to Tell|Philip C. Stead|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1362667189s/13170028.jpg|18349343]. Highly recommended if you want something understated but touching, to enjoy quietly with your child.
(And yes, I've seen a whale!)
And luckily, all the things to avoid, seem so worthwhile in themselves, it appears like a win-win situation.
If you want to see a whale/ there's no time to watch the pelican/ who may or may not be smiling/ while sitting, staring, looking out/ because pelicans who sit and stare can never be a whale.
If you want to see a whale/ be careful not to notice/ something inching, small and green/ across the leaf, just nibble scoot/because things that are smaller than most small things/ can't be as giant as a whale.
If you want to see a whale/ you shouldn't watch the clouds/ some floating by, some hanging down/ in the sky that's spread out, side to side/ or the certain sun that's shining/ because if you start to look straight up/ you might just miss a whale.
Just like the text, the pencil illustrations are simple and beautiful. And the mood captured by them is this time-standing-still feeling, just like in the other books illustrated so far by
[a:Erin E. Stead|4581894|Erin E. Stead|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-F-50x66-2a9d702c2a0f483c9f7dd119cc28a9a7.jpg], [b:A Sick Day for Amos McGee|7268995|A Sick Day for Amos McGee|Philip C. Stead|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312019421s/7268995.jpg|8391024] and [b:Bear Has a Story to Tell|13170028|Bear Has a Story to Tell|Philip C. Stead|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1362667189s/13170028.jpg|18349343]. Highly recommended if you want something understated but touching, to enjoy quietly with your child.
(And yes, I've seen a whale!)
You'll have to just ignore the roses
and all their pink
and all their sweet
and all their wild and their waving
because roses don't want you watching whales
or waiting for
or wondering about
things that are not sweet
and things that are not roses
*sigh**
Buy this title at Powells Books.
and all their pink
and all their sweet
and all their wild and their waving
because roses don't want you watching whales
or waiting for
or wondering about
things that are not sweet
and things that are not roses
*sigh**
Buy this title at Powells Books.
Jesus Christ. I thought I'd seen my favorite couple of picture books for the year, and then here comes this one. SO bedtimey, SO not-bedtimey, all about observation and appreciation of the flawless little miracles that make up the natural world - clouds, bugs, birds, pirate ships... and roses.
if you want to see a whale
you'll have to just ignore the roses
and all their pink
and all their sweet
and all their wild and their waving
because roses don't want you watching whales
or waiting for
or wondering about
things that are not pink
and things that are not sweet
and things that are not roses
This is Gertrude Stein done one better. This is Yeats and the tyranny of beauty in simple language.
Also, Erin Stead is perfect.
if you want to see a whale
you'll have to just ignore the roses
and all their pink
and all their sweet
and all their wild and their waving
because roses don't want you watching whales
or waiting for
or wondering about
things that are not pink
and things that are not sweet
and things that are not roses
This is Gertrude Stein done one better. This is Yeats and the tyranny of beauty in simple language.
Also, Erin Stead is perfect.
I just read this at my desk and I am very happy now! But I might need to leave work to go look for a whale.
Sweet story with gentle illustrations. I like how the readers have to figure out why you can't do some of these activities if your goal is to spot a whale!
This has a bit of a "if you give a mouse a cookie" feel. That's not a bad thing at all!
The artwork was lovely and... I found it very comforting. This is one I wish I'd had to read to the boys when they were littles.
The artwork was lovely and... I found it very comforting. This is one I wish I'd had to read to the boys when they were littles.
