The Blue Whale

Writing in a voice that's both calming and direct, Desmond studies "the largest living creature on our planet," the blue whale. With a boy in a striped shirt and red crown as a guide, Desmond discusses the whale's size, how it eats, and its various capabilities, in sentences that seem destined to leave readers' jaws permanently dropped ("A blue whale's tongue weighs three tons, and its mouth is so big that 50 people can stand inside it"). Desmond's mixed-media images exude warmth and quiet humor: explaining how a whale feeds, an illustration of the animal features two arrows, one pointing out its expanded ventral pleats, the other noting "krill and water in here." A thorough, rewarding tribute to a majestic animal. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)

Gr 1-3--This delightful picture book provides a brief overview of these majestic creatures, from the perspective of a young boy absorbed in a volume about blue whales. (In a fun twist, the boy is revealed to be reading this very book.) Rich, warm, and imaginative, the illustrations support the clear, accessible text effectively, conveying the facts in a charming and accessible way that will easily resonate with kids. For instance, a page that states that blue whales weigh as much as 55 hippopotami is accompanied by an illustration of the boy sitting atop a pile of pachyderms, while a spread devoted to the vast quantities of milk whale calves drink features an image of 50 plastic milk jugs. Desmond includes endearing details as well, such as the boy's childlike pictures of these marine mammals, and her affection and admiration for the species is evident throughout, down to the last page, which depicts the boy asleep on a bedlike raft as a blue whale dives below the surface. VERDICT Budding cetologists will enjoy this lovingly crafted work.--Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID

"Filled with strikingly beautiful watercolor illustrations, the book shows what impossible fun it would be to hang out in such close proximity to the majestic blue whale." — Abby McGanney Nolan, The Washington Post

"This is one of those nonfiction books whose facts somehow make me cry. It's partly the set up in the author's note that blue whales are few in number due to human activity, from hunting to pollution. But it's not just that. It's the way this material is handled—from how the text is constructed to the dreamy illustrations." —This Picture Book Life

"Jenni Desmond celebrates in the marvelous nonfiction children's book The Blue Whale — a loving science lullaby about our planet's biggest creature, and a beautiful addition to the finest children's books celebrating science." —Brain Pickings

"A work of nonfiction that understands that true expertise is born out of curiosity. Filtering the storyline through one inquisitive young child, Desmond joyfully presents facts about the earth's largest mammal in a manner that is both accessible and engaging, and will definitely spark the reader's curiosity." —Huffington Post