THE STORM WHALE IN WINTER

A winter tale of a boy, his dad, and a whale

A little white boy’s love for his fisherman father and an unlikely friendship with a mysterious whale take the forefront in Davies’ sequel to The Storm Whale (2014). The seasons have changed, and little Noi has not seen his friend the whale in quite some time. “Now and then he thought he caught a glimpse of the whale, its tail tipping the waves in the distance. But it was always something else.” When Noi ventures out into a winter storm to help bring his father home to safety, gentle suspense ensues as Noi wanders over the frozen sea and is lost amid the snowflakes in search of his dad. Perhaps his loyal whale friend will intervene….As with its predecessor, the illustrations here capture the feeling of another time, provide a vivid depiction of life by the sea, and contain just the right amount of detail, while clear, descriptive text allows the plot to gracefully unfold. Readers who don’t know the previous selection will enjoy this quiet depiction of the seashore in winter, while those already familiar with Noi and his world will further appreciate this continuation of the earlier story.

A meditative tale of family, friendship and warmth.