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WORK TITLE: MAYBE A WHALE
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WEBSITE: https://www.kirstenpendreigh.com
CITY: Vancouver
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COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY: Canadian
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Kirkus Reviews Aug. 1, 2022, review of Pendreigh, Kirsten: LUNA’S GREEN PET. p. NA.
Children’s Bookwatch Oct., 2022. , “Luna’s Green Pet.”. p. NA.
Kirkus Reviews July 1, 2023, , “Pendreigh, Kirsten: MAYBE A WHALE.”. p. NA.
The Horn Book Magazine vol. 99 no. 6 Nov.-Dec., 2023. Pettinelli, Adrienne L. , “Maybe a Whale.”.
My writing is inspired by the natural beauty of Vancouver's North Shore. I often hike under the big, mossy trees of nearby Coastal rainforests or walk the ever-changing Pacific Ocean shoreline. I love watching the wild at work, whether it’s a slippery banana slug moseying along the trail or a bald eagle chirping high up in a fir. (Yes! Eagles chirp!) Back home, I work at the window, my old dog close by, so I can keep an eye on the hummingbirds zipping about and the chickadees snatching seed. Do chickadees remember where they hide their seed? How fast can hummingbirds fly? Why does my dog make such weird sounds when he sleeps? It’s hard to get any writing done!
My curiosity led to a career as a broadcast journalist and producer for CBC Radio and NPR, and as a science writer and editor for my local public health research agency. Now, I write stories that celebrate wild spaces and children’s curiosity about the natural world. Curiosity—and the knowledge it reaps—is our first step in caring for our planet.
Other things that make me happy:
Poetry – check out my poetry section! I’m working on my first collection!
Volunteering with kids in The Writer’s Exchange literacy project.
Working in the garden and memorizing Latin plant names like the proud plant nerd I am.
Humor! I love writing funny stories and reading funny books with kids.
My amazing son and daughter, who can always make me laugh.
My patient husband who listens to my stories and reminds me to back up my hard drive.
My dog Hamish, not a great listener, but a very good actor when it comes to persuading us to feed him a little bit earlier each day.
About
Based on Canada's West Coast, Kirsten Pendreigh is a poet and children's author. Her picture books include: MAYBE A WHALE ( illustrated by Crystal Smith), a Horn Book Best Book of the Year and a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection; LUNA'S GREEN PET, (illustrated by Carmen Mok), a Quill and Quire and Canadian Children's Centre Best Book of the Year. And, coming in 2025: WHEN A TREE FALLS, a nonfiction picture book about forest regeneration, and WHAT FISH ARE SAYING, an exploration of how and why fish make sounds. Kirsten's poetry appears in many Best Canadian Poetry as well as many Canadian literary magazines like Arc Poetry, subTerrain, Prairie Fire, Room magazine, Juniper etc.
www.kirstenpendreigh.com/
Co-Creators Kirsten Pendreigh & Crystal Smith Help Young Readers Find "Comfort and Connection in Natural Spaces"
Date
August 10, 2023
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Blue and black banner with text reading "Interview with Kirsten Pendreigh and Crystal Smith". Image of Maybe a Whale by Kirsten Pendreigh on the right, Open Book logo bottom left
Finding ways to connect to the people we've loved and lost can be a complex process. In author Kirsten Pendreigh and artist Crystal Smith's gentle and beautiful new picture book, Maybe a Whale (Groundwood Books), a young girl's mother suggests they take the epic trip the girl's beloved grandfather had planned for her but not had the chance to take her on before he passed away: kayaking along the Pacific coast to look for his favourite animal — whales.
The girl doesn't see how taking the trip without her grandfather will help anything, but she gamely agrees. As she encounters aquatic wonders with her mother, from glowing jellies to playful seals, she keeps her eyes open for the one thing she truly, deeply wants to see. But where are the whales?
Though it's hard to hold onto hope, the girl keeps going, and when she finally gets an encounter of sorts with the magnificent creatures her grandfather loved, it's like getting one last moment with him. Pendreigh's emotionally wise, lyrical text and Smith's luminous artwork come together to create a kid-friendly narrative about how the things–and people–loved by the ones we've lost can help us connect to them, even after they're gone.
We're speaking to both Pendreigh and Smith today about creating Maybe a Whale. They tell us about how they hope kids will follow their young protagonist's path in finding comfort in the beauty of nature, how they worked together to get the book's vibe exactly right, and how they each drew on their own experiences of outdoor travel and adventure to make the girl's world full vibrant and real for readers.
Open Book:
What was the strangest or most memorable part of creating this book for you?
Kirsten Pendreigh:
Every time I revised the text or looked at art sketches, I had strong sensory memories of my own kayaking and camping trips. The squeeze of the lifejacket, the roll of the boat, the tightness of saltwater drying on skin, the rub of the little grains of sand that get everywhere! And those nights, I would dream of humpbacks and hear their magical breaths! I had struggled to find the right way to describe that sound. So many variations before it came to me — Pushhhhh! The sound worked and the meaning clicked with the girl’s resolution to keep going, keep moving, keep pushing. Keep looking for your sound!
Maybe a Whale by Kirsten Pendreigh
Maybe a Whale by Kirsten Pendreigh
Crystal Smith:
When I first received the synopsis for the book from our editor, Emma Sakamoto, I immediately latched on to the idea of illustrating whales—something I love! Then, when I started reading the longer description and Kirsten’s manuscript, I realized that they never actually see whales on their journey! “Oh no, how do I illustrate a book about whales without any whales in it?!” I had to go on my own journey through the story and find the hidden moments where the whale’s peeked through (whether in the ocean, sky, or imagination)—letting the viewer see the whales, even as the characters felt and heard them through their other senses.
Open Book:
How do you view the elements we each contributed as working with each other in the final version?
KP:
Crystal’s art brought a completely new dimension to the story. Her sky whales were not something I had envisioned. They add a mysterious and almost spiritual layer. I love them! Crystal’s art also reinforced what I hoped children could feel in the story —the healing power of the natural world and its ability to transport us elsewhere. Her full spread focusing on the child breathing with the whales celebrates our imagination and the magic of whales. Just gorgeous!
Author Kirsten Pendriegh (photo credit: Carrie Marshall)
Author Kirsten Pendriegh (photo credit: Carrie Marshall)
The journey we take with the child – from denial and sadness to healing and reconnection— is also beautifully reflected in the changing light in Crystal’s visual narrative. Language and light working in tandem. Perfect!
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Open Book:
Do you relate to any of the characters in the book? If so, who and in what ways?
CS:
When illustrating the young girl in this book, I definitely drew on my own experiences of camping and spending time out in nature as a kid. The anticipation while packing, rolling up the sleeping bags, looking at maps. Even the naps during long car rides—the backseat crowded with gear—as our family headed off on camping holidays in the summer.
Artist & illustrator Crystal Smith
Artist & illustrator Crystal Smith
One of the first meals I cooked was on a trip where I got to be in charge of the ramen noodles on the camp stove! (I may have overcooked them in my enthusiasm.) Kirsten really captured the excitement and wonder of being a kid and having these experiences, bringing me back to those special childhood memories.
Open Book:
What do you hope young readers will take away from our book?
KP:
I hope children feel like they went on a voyage too! I hope the story inspires them to look for comfort and connection in natural spaces near where they live. It might not be going on an ocean kayaking or camping trip, it could be walking in a city park, listening to different birdsongs, the buzz of bees, perhaps noticing seasonal changes and rhythms that affect how we feel in our bodies. Remembering that we are part of the natural world is so important for our mental health!
At a deeper level, if one of our young readers has experienced loss, I hope they find solace in this reminder that the ones we love are still with us, even if we can’t see them anymore.
CS:
I think this book holds many layers and that more can be found each time it’s read. Kirsten’s immersive story brings us on the journey but—along the way—asks so many questions and leaves us room to add between the lines.
I hope young readers will begin to understand how much there is to discover and explore in the world around them, things they might not be able to see right away, but maybe if they ask questions, are quiet, or persistent—or if they change their perspective!
The perspectives shown in the book are constantly changing; looking at a window from both sides, exploring the ocean under the waterline, watching sea creatures from below, the light and shadows from outside and inside a tent…even the perspective of our imagination. These visuals mirror Kirsten’s gentle narrative as the young girl’s perspective is changed throughout the journey.
_____________________________________________________________
Kirsten Pendreigh is a children’s author and poet from Vancouver, BC. Her books celebrate our early instincts to care for the plants and creatures that share our planet. She is the author of Luna’s Green Pet, illustrated by Carmen Mok. Kirsten’s poems can be found in Canadian literary magazines and in Best Canadian Poetry 2021. Formerly a CBC and NPR journalist, Kirsten also writes non-fiction for children.
Crystal Smith is the daughter of a lighthouse keeper who discovered her passion for wildlife when she was small. She illustrates the natural world to spark curiosity and wonder, kindle concern, and illuminate issues. Crystal currently lives in Victoria, BC. She is currently illustrating a second children's book coming from Groundwood Books in fall 2024.
Storystorm 2023 Day 28: Kirsten Pendreigh Cooks Up Ideagrients™
January 28, 2023 in Uncategorized | Tags: Carmen Mok, Kirsten Pendreigh, LUNA'S GREEN PET, MAYBE A WHALE, WHEN A TREE FALLS | 779 comments
by Kirsten Pendreigh
It’s Day 27, Storystormers! Phew! Feeling over-ideated? Need a breather?
Today, let’s forget about trying to cook up one big, delicious IDEA and instead focus on the tasty tidbits that, when mixed into idea bowls, make ideas deliciously irresistible to write.
I’m talking about Ideagrients™, a totally real, and not-made-up term for the specific details that move our ideas from Maybes to compelling concepts we can’t wait to begin writing!
Ideagrients™: distinctive fragments and descriptive sparks that elevate ideas. May include—but not limited to—gorgeous words, evocative images, sensory details, original names, and clever language devices. According to experts at PBIU (Picture Book Idea University), good ideas require a minimum of five Ideagrients before story writing can begin.
Look at your 27 ideas. Which ones have promise but are still kind of obscure? Maybe they feel predictable? Too similar to books that already exist? Could these ideas use a pinch of sensory salt, a sprinkle of funny sugar, or a splash of surprise food coloring to make them more intriguing?
Great ideas, just like great writing, are full of specificity. Readers struggle to connect to vague concepts; they love clear, evocative descriptions that surprise and delight. Writers do, too! Trust me, it’s a struggle to create a compelling picture book if you start with a half-baked, surface-level idea. I’ve learned the hard way, meandering from a generic concept, wasting my time, and ending up with unmarketable, unwieldy, and unoriginal stories.
More and more, especially now that I run ideas past my agent, I seek specificity and detail before I commit writing time. Setting, weather, foods I love, names I love, phrases I love, metaphors I love, etc. Assembling these Ideagrients™ beforehand—even as a mental checklist—ensures a more compelling pitch, a smoother writing process and a better end product. Ideally, a story that delights readers AND reflects my unique voice and style.
Let’s use my debut picture book, LUNA’S GREEN PET, as an example.
My initial idea was sparked by a photo of a girl “walking” a plant. I wrote: “A child wants a plant for a pet.” Hmmm, an okay concept, different from a dog or cat story, (and walking your plant is SO cute!) but it still felt flat.
It was time to raid my Ideagrient™ pantry. I looked for words and expressions to make this story idea unique and uniquely mine. I scanned my Brain Rolodex (every professional picture book writer has one!) and my notes app for details and images I’ve stashed away, hoping to find tidbits to take my idea from “Cute, but do I want to spend years with this concept?” to “Oh! I absolutely must write this!”
Here are 5 Ideagrients™ I brainstormed BEFORE writing.
Humor:
My kids and I love deadpan humor. What if I went all in and talked about the plant pet using animal terms? Animalpomorphizing . That way we are quickly on board with Luna’s perspective. A plant pot could be a cage or crate. Soil could be bedding. And of course, Luna’s plant should have a name! I love nicknames and clever abbreviations.
Vocabulary:
Words set the tone for stories, especially for picture books which are read aloud. I looked at a list of my favorite funny words. First up, rambunctious! To me, rambunctious sets a playful tone. It’s fun and it’s funny to read aloud. A key part of pet ownership is behavioral training. While a plant can’t bark or misbehave, it can grow! It can be rambunctious! This Ideagrient led to Stephanie getting a trim. That later led to Carmen’s brilliant idea—shaping Stephanie into a recognizable pet. Win, win!
Heart:
I already had Luna walking her plant, but what other sweet ways could Luna nurture her pet? What about reading a bedtime story? Jack and the Beanstalk? Haha. Perfect tie-in with rambunctious! (And, sorry, not sorry about the dog pee, Stephanie, it was an Ideagrient™ I had to keep!)
A Top Ten List:
I LOVE fun backmatter and I LOVE top ten lists. Could I use one to convince people houseplants really are great pets? “Plants are good listeners” was a key Ideagrient™!
A parade!
What’s a pet story without a parade? And of course, Stephanie must win something! Parade was mixed into my idea bowl. “Best in Scent” came later. Chef’s kiss!
Of course, other details were later mixed into LUNA’S GREEN PET. But having at least five Ideagrients™ assembled beforehand reassured me this idea was absolutely worth pursuing. I was now excited to commit time and energy to writing it, knowing I could bring fresh, unique, fun elements to layer around a central theme of marching to the beat of your own drum. LUNA helped secure my agent and sold in our first round of submissions! Now, I look back and realize that initial photo was only an Ideagrient . You might realize that with some of your ideas. But that’s fine! Mix them with other tasty Ideagrients to make a compelling, layered idea!
What five Ideagrients™ can you come up with today?
Some suggestions:
A word. Consult Tara’s amazing book, ABSURD WORDS if you need inspiration!
A phrase or metaphor. Maybe a family saying, something funny your kid says, a line from a song, a regional expression.
A sensory description only you could write. How does snow feel on your skin? What does dinner smell like to you?
A striking image. A photo of yours or something you see online or in a book.
An example of a writing device you admire. A rhyme scheme, a clever alliteration, a type of humor.
Jot them down, organize your pantry in your own inimitable way, and soon, you’ll have plenty of Ideagrients on hand for a signature idea bake! Share one with us in the comments!
Thanks for reading! Please support all the guest bloggers (and Tara!) by buying, preordering, reviewing, and asking your library to order our books!
Now, after all those baking references, enjoy an imaginary slice of this beautiful and delicious cake, made by my funny, talented CP, Lisa Tolin (Author of HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR).
Kirsten Pendreigh’s debut picture book LUNA’S GREEN PET, illustrated by Carmen Mok, is available wherever books are sold. MAYBE A WHALE, a lyrical story of healing in nature, illustrated by Crystal Smith, publishes in August with Groundwood Books and is available for preorders. WHEN A TREE FALLS, a nonfiction book about nurse logs in the forest, illustrated by Matthew Cruikshank, publishes with Chronicle Books in 2025. (Kirsten wrote about this story in a previous Storystorm post ). Kirsten is represented by Natalie Lakosil at the Irene Goodman Literary Agency. Visit Kirsten online KirstenPendreigh.com and follow her on Twitter @kpiependreigh and Instagram @kirsten.pendreigh.
Kirsten is offering one picture book critique, or a virtual classroom visit to read LUNA’S GREEN PET.
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2023 participant and you have commented only once on today’s blog post. ↓
Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.
Storystorm 2021 Day 10: Kirsten Pendreigh Finds Joy in the Journey
January 10, 2021 in Picture Books, Storystorm 2021 | Tags: Kirsten Pendreigh
by Kirsten Pendreigh
I’m loving the inspirational Storystorm posts from successfully published creators! But I also know that the road from shiny new idea to publication is long and winding. There are potholes and wrong turns, dead ends and roadwork delays. So many delays! Sometimes you run out of gas. Sometimes you break down and wonder, should I take the offramp?
When my 2021 picture book debut got cancelled last summer, I had to pull over and refuel. I’d followed all the publishing advice. (Work Hard! Persevere! Be Patient! Toughen Up! Set Clear Goals!) It wasn’t enough. It was time to remind myself why I was on the road at all. Goalposts shift. Years of work can get swept away. Many things are out of our control.
I asked: What is it that sustains me and keeps me trucking along?
My answer? A lesson my son taught me years ago:
Joy in the journey.
Process over [unpredictable] product.
Kids model process over product all the time. My son loved to paint and draw and dig. But he never wanted to keep his paintings or drawings; he didn’t really care what we planted. To him, the joyful process of creating, of digging in, was more important.
What are the things that bring you joy on this writing journey?
For me it’s a long list, that includes:
creating funny characters and stories in my unique voice
playing with words: finding the perfect line, the perfect rhythmic pattern
puzzling out picture books: page turns, art notes, pacing
diving down rabbit holes of research
editing and revising
sharing stories with critique partners, helping them shape their work
being part of a supportive and loving community of writer
But what do I love most? Generating ideas!
For me, Storystorm is the perfect way to rekindle my creative joy. In this tired old world, how magical, how hopeful, to join almost two thousand other people firing up their synapses and finding new stories to share!
This idea stage is free of judgement and full of possibility. Each new idea is a precious, fragile, exciting secret only your unique brain knows about. It could go anywhere!
Today I challenge YOU, fellow traveller on this long and bumpy road, to cherish this stage. Be open to the joyful sparks waiting for you—as you walk, as you eavesdrop on your kids, as you look out the window at birds, as you laugh about something you read. What calls to you? What triggers a faster thumpetty-thump of your pulse? What gives you that warm glow, that AHA moment?
Respond to those sparks. Nurture them!
Jot something down, even if it’s a fragment of a thought, a nonsensical doodle, or a question. And do it without judgement. Brainstorm like no-one’s watching!
Just for today, forget about all the webinars and craft books and agent/editor/author interviews you read. Forget about 3-act structures and hooks and pitches, and marketability. Forget about the destination.
Because if you start with joy, the rest will follow. Joy is contagious. Readers and editors and agents will feel it too. The stories I start with joy always fare better than the ones I try to “engineer” at the beginning. One of them landed my wonderful agent! Soon, I’ll be able to announce good news about another story, of whales who made my heart go thumpetty-thump. And that debut that got cancelled? It’s going out on sub again. If it doesn’t get picked up, that’s okay; I still love it. It still makes people laugh.
I’ve recently written a lyrical story about nurse logs—fallen trees that nurture new life in the coastal rainforests near my home. Clearly a metaphor for the poet in me! I feel my spirits lift each time I see this regeneration, even on these cold, dark days of isolation and uncertainty. It’s a gift to get to write about things I love. Maybe my log story will end up as firewood. I’ll try to bask in its warm glow. I’ll still be creating with joy. I hope you will too.
Happy Storystorm, fellow travellers!
Kirsten Pendreigh is a children’s author and poet who lives in Vancouver, BC. She is represented by Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary. Kirsten writes both humor and lyrical stories for children, in fiction and non-fiction. Her poems are found in multiple literary anthologies and magazines. Kirsten is an active member of 12x12PB and Storystorm and a regular on Twitter. Please connect with her there @kpiependreigh or through her website or Instagram where she posts pictures of things that bring her joy.
Kirsten is giving away two picture book critiques.
Two separate winners will be randomly selected.
Leave one comment below to enter.
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm participant and you have commented once below.
Pendreigh, Kirsten LUNA'S GREEN PET Sleeping Bear Press (Children's None) $17.99 8, 15 ISBN: 978-1-5341-1161-5
A child nurtures a houseplant as a beloved pet.
Luna's red brick apartment building on a tree-lined urban street doesn't allow pets, so she and two friends brainstorm and reject ideas, like a pet rock and an ant farm. Luna eventually decides to adopt a plant she finds in a trash can. The rest of the story centers, without much drama, on Luna's activities with Stephanie, which is short for the plant's scientific name, Stephanotis floribunda. Luna matter-of-factly takes Stephanie for walks in a wagon and reads her bedtime stories--which could inspire children to expand their notion of caring beyond furry animals, family members, and friends. Luna's deep love for Stephanie may also spur readers to focus less on the flashy perks of a pet, like whether they can do tricks, and more on their love for their pet (fauna or flora). The text is thoughtfully and efficiently used, working fabulously with gentle illustrations, which appear to be rendered in colored pencil. Most importantly, kids growing up in cities and apartment buildings and who, like Luna, can't keep pets will emerge with some creative ideas about how to find companionship. Backmatter discusses the benefits of houseplants and offers additional background about the Stephanotis plant. Luna is brown-skinned, one of her friends is light-skinned, and the other is darker-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Blooms quickly and keeps growing on you. (Picture book. 4-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Pendreigh, Kirsten: LUNA'S GREEN PET." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A711906759/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=524da8a1. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Luna's Green Pet
Kirsten Pendreigh, author
Carmen Mok, illustrator
Sleeping Bear Press
315 East Eisenhower Parkway, Suite 200, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
www.sleepingbearpress.com
9781534111615, $17.99, HC, 40pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lunas-Green-Pet-Kirsten-Pendreigh/dp/1534111611
Synopsis: Luna longs for a pet but the apartment building where she and her family live has a very strict NO PETS! policy. Not even goldfish are allowed.
While her friends try to help with alternate pet suggestions, none interest Luna. Almost ready to give up, Luna spies in the trash something small, something green, something someone has discarded--a wilted plant. Perfect! Luna names her new pet Stephanie, confident she can nurse the plant back to health.
When others question Stephanie's suitability as a pet, Luna's devotion is unwavering. She knows Stephanie is perfect just as she is. But will Luna's love and care be enough to bring Stephanie to full health? And what are those strange bumps growing on her?
Critique: Combining artist/illustrator Carmen Mok's warm, expressive artwork, this charming picture book story by author/storyteller Kirsten Pendreigh's of one young girl's belief, determination, and out-of-the-box thinking is perfect for any child who has ever wished for a pet, only to be told no. Of special note is the back matter that includes tips on how to grow your own "Stephanie". "Luna's Green Pet" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for children ages 4-7.
Editorial Note #1: Kirsten Pendreigh (https://www.kirstenpendreigh.com) is a poet and children's author and a former broadcast journalist and producer with NPR and CBC. She lives in British Columbia, Canada
Editorial Note #2: Carmen Mok (http://www.carmenmokstudio.com) is an award-winning illustrator whose books include Grandmother's Visit and Tough Like Mum. She lives in Ontario, Canada.
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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"Luna's Green Pet." Children's Bookwatch, Oct. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A727953257/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=02349166. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Pendreigh, Kirsten MAYBE A WHALE Groundwood (Children's None) $21.99 8, 1 ISBN: 9781773066646
Maybe a search for a whale might uncover a way to heal and remember.
A mother and child--both beige-skinned, dark-haired, and presenting as Asian--look through items left by Grandpa, presumably after his death, that provide a route to follow to search for whales. The child is skeptical at Mom's assurance that "the trip will do us good," but the two of them set out in a bright yellow kayak on emerald water, where a giant unseen whale glides silently beneath them. They see moon jellies, seals, and bioluminescence--but no whales. At night, mother and child look up into a star-filled sky, and the little one wonders if whales can see stars. Mom tells the child that Grandpa loved whales, too, and that he will be in their hearts forever, and together, they work through their grief, finding companionship in nature. An offshore sound announces that whales are in fact nearby, blowing spray into the air. Pendreigh's evocative text alternates between narration and the protagonist's inner thoughts, offering excellent conversation starters for helping children deal with loss. Smith's immersive illustrations, which at times have heavy lines, nevertheless make use of dramatic perspectives, imaginative compositions, and a luminous palette of deep blues, greens, purples, and yellows to lend emotional depth to the tale. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A gentle yet profound story about a shared journey to peace. (Picture book. 3-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Pendreigh, Kirsten: MAYBE A WHALE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A754972001/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c10b3ac5. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Maybe a Whale
by Kirsten Pendreigh; illus. by Crystal Smith
Primary Groundwood 40 pp.
8/23 9781773066646 $21.99
e-book ed. 9781773066653 $16.99
The unnamed narrator's grandfather has died, and her mother is taking her on a trip he had planned for them, to the ocean to see his beloved whales. The girl doesn't want to go, but she packs up her stuffed whale and draws whales in the condensation on the car window while the pair drives to the coast. They transfer to a kayak and paddle to the island, where they camp. Illustrations with watery backgrounds blur the line between sea and sky, showing mother and daughter in fog and rain, at twilight and dawn--in liminal moments that echo their grief. There is wonder here too. A stunning spread shows the kayak from below, glowing moon jellies surrounding the boat and the light of the sky filtering down deep. Night falls, and the girl is disappointed that they still haven't seen any whales, but they build a fire, boil noodles and toast marshmallows, and discover bioluminescence when they rinse their hands in the salt water. " Why are there more stars here? Is grandpa up there?' They're just getting ready to sleep when they hear the "pushhhhh" of humpbacks surfacing. They can't see them, but they can hear them, a metaphor for all we can't see that is still present in our lives. A tender testament to love and loss. ADRIENNE L. PETTINELLI
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
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Pettinelli, Adrienne L. "Maybe a Whale." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 99, no. 6, Nov.-Dec. 2023, pp. 64+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A772686784/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=75554560. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.