The New York Times - Maria Russo
…a simple but powerful story about loneliness and the love between a parent and child who don't have much, not even time to spend together…Like the best picture books, The Storm Whale has an outsize emotional force that often comes from what the author-illustrator Benji Davies leaves out. In beautiful, buoyant illustrations, he makes Noi's aloneness literal: Not only is there no mother in sight or even mentioned, there are no other human beings visible in his charmingly ramshackle fishing village…Davies adds tons of whimsical visual detail, but keeps his characters' facial features minimalist—black dots for eyes and the merest lines for noses and mouths—allowing for enormous meaning in clothing, gesture and body language.
From the Publisher
A quietly affecting and visually striking book.” —The Horn Book
“A gentle, atmospheric father and son tale, this will draw kids who appreciate a touch of mysticism and the parent-kid adventure.” —BCCB
“Charming.” —School Library Journal
“*This imaginative, offbeat and original tale, lightly dusted with believable magic, perfectly captures a generous child's loyalty and dedication and ends with comfort and subtlety . . . A selection children will embrace and come back to time and time again.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“Deeply empathic storytelling is matched by crisp, evocative scenes of coastal life, from the ramshackle, weathered home where Noi and his father live to the endless expanse of the ocean at night.” —Publisher's Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
