Abigail the Whale

PreS-Gr 2--Abigail hates Wednesday--swimming day. She hates the cold shower. She detests all the swimming strokes. She doesn't like feeling too big and heavy to be a good swimmer. She especially hates how when she dives in the water and makes a big splash, all the kids yell, "Abigail is a whale!" After class her coach gives her some advice--"We are what we think." All week long Abigail takes his advice to heart. She thinks giant to feel brave, kangaroo to jump high, statue to ignore a shot's sting, and rabbit to eat all her carrots, and to her amazement it works every time. On swimming day she's ready. She thinks stone not to feel the icy shower, rocket to dive without a splash, and then kayak, surfboard, submarine, and speedboat to master all the swim strokes. The other kids don't yell anything at all this time, but Betty says, "You're such a good swimmer now, you should jump from the high diving board!" Abigail takes the challenge, and from the top she thinks super whale and joyously cannonballs into the water below. Coincidentally (or not) the illustration shows the resulting wave splashing only Betty. Bougaeva's realistic illustrations perfectly complement the text, giving life to Abigail's thoughts and her reality, often in the same spread. Use of multiple fonts and text placement makes for fun reading and enlivens the story. VERDICT This tale of positive thinking is a great jumping-off point for a discussion about teasing, self-esteem, empathy, and perspective.-Catherine Callegari, formerly at Gay--Kimball Library, Troy, NH