A moving, poetic story about a whale in captivity who longs for the ocean . . . because whales don't belong in fishbowls, do they?
Wednesday is a whale who lives in a fishbowl smack dab in the middle of a city--it's the only home she's ever known. Cars whizz around her and people hurry past; even the sun and moon circle above. But if she leaps high enough out of her bowl, Wednesday can see it: a calm bit of blue off in the distance. When a girl in a paisley dress tells Wednesday "You belong in the sea," the whale starts to wonder, what is the sea? Readers will cheer--and get all choked up-- when, one day, Wednesday leaps higher than ever before and sets in motion a breathtaking chain of events that will carry her to her rightful home. Touching, and ultimately uplifting, here is a story about a lonely creature longing to be free--and longing to find someone just like her.
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2018! A New York Public Library Best Book of 2018!
"This subtle, satisfying narrative will be especially appealing to introspective readers who yearn for something that's perhaps yet unknown."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"The tale of how the solitary Wednesday discovers the sea and her destiny is heartwarming, and readers will cheer for her."—Booklist, starred review
"By reaching for emotional rather than documentary truth, this team explores the injustice of captivity with a gentle touch."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"This moving tale of longing and belonging is sure to prompt introspection, likely making it a popular choice for independent reading as well as reading aloud."—Bulletin, starred review
Richard Jones is the illustrator of several picture books, including A Story for Small Bear, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year and an Amazon Best Book of the Month. He also illustrated Whale in a Fishbowl, which recieved four starred reviews and was a Kirkus Reviews and New York Public Library Best Book of the Year. He is the author/illustrator of the picture books Perdu and Little Bear. Richard was nominated for the Ezra Jack Keats Award for New Illustrator in 2019.
View titles by Richard Jones
A moving, poetic story about a whale in captivity who longs for the ocean . . . because whales don't belong in fishbowls, do they?
Wednesday is a whale who lives in a fishbowl smack dab in the middle of a city--it's the only home she's ever known. Cars whizz around her and people hurry past; even the sun and moon circle above. But if she leaps high enough out of her bowl, Wednesday can see it: a calm bit of blue off in the distance. When a girl in a paisley dress tells Wednesday "You belong in the sea," the whale starts to wonder, what is the sea? Readers will cheer--and get all choked up-- when, one day, Wednesday leaps higher than ever before and sets in motion a breathtaking chain of events that will carry her to her rightful home. Touching, and ultimately uplifting, here is a story about a lonely creature longing to be free--and longing to find someone just like her.
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2018! A New York Public Library Best Book of 2018!
Praise
"This subtle, satisfying narrative will be especially appealing to introspective readers who yearn for something that's perhaps yet unknown."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"The tale of how the solitary Wednesday discovers the sea and her destiny is heartwarming, and readers will cheer for her."—Booklist, starred review
"By reaching for emotional rather than documentary truth, this team explores the injustice of captivity with a gentle touch."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"This moving tale of longing and belonging is sure to prompt introspection, likely making it a popular choice for independent reading as well as reading aloud."—Bulletin, starred review
Richard Jones is the illustrator of several picture books, including A Story for Small Bear, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year and an Amazon Best Book of the Month. He also illustrated Whale in a Fishbowl, which recieved four starred reviews and was a Kirkus Reviews and New York Public Library Best Book of the Year. He is the author/illustrator of the picture books Perdu and Little Bear. Richard was nominated for the Ezra Jack Keats Award for New Illustrator in 2019.
View titles by Richard Jones
