Benji Davies

Noi lived with his fisherman father and their six cats in a small house by the sea. Every day his father would head out to sea on his boat, and the young boy would be on his own. Then one day, after a great storm, Noi found a baby whale washed up on shore. Determined to care for this stranded creature, Noi brought the whale home and put it in the bathtub. His understanding father, when he discovered the cetacean in the tub, realized that Noi had been lonely, but told him that they would have show more to return the whale to his ocean home all the same.

With a heartwarming tale of a boy, his father, and his unexpected encounter with a cetacean visitor, and absolutely beautiful artwork that perfectly captures Noi's seaside world, The Storm Whale is a lovely picture-book, one in which art and text are skillfully matched. I really liked the understated way in which Benji Davies highlights the love that Noi's father has for him, the way that he instantly understands that Noi has been lonely, when he sees the whale in the tub. I also liked the fact that, despite recognizing and sympathizing with his son's feelings, Noi's father is firm about returning the whale to his proper home. The artwork was just as appealing as the story. I loved the cute family cats, and found the scene in which Noi and his father row out into the ocean, with its deep blue background, just breathtaking. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about whales and/or the loving bond between a father and son. show less

Syd and his Grandad set sail for a very special island in this metaphorical exploration of death and grieving for the picture-book set. The tropical paradise they discover serves as a substitute for Grandad's final resting place, and Syd sails back to the 'real' world alone. Missing his grandfather, Syd is comforted by the idea, as represented by the letter from the island that he receives, that his Grandad is in a good place...

From the praise I have seen heaped upon Gradad's Island by other show more online reviewers, it would seem that the narrative here works very well for most readers, allowing them to explore the idea of death, and of parting from a loved one, in an imaginative and helpful way. While I respect that, and am glad for those who find solace in Benji Davies' story, I have to confess that something about the formulation here just didn't work for me. I could see what the author/artist was trying to accomplish, but somehow I didn't find the narrative as poignant or eloquent as some others. The recent Danish picture-book, Cry Heart, But Never Break, was much more to my taste, when it comes to examinations of death in children's stories. Still, there's nothing really wrong with this one, and it might be helpful for some, as an exploration of these issues. The artwork, moreover, is every bit as colorful and appealing as you would expect from a Davies picture-book. Recommended (with the caveat that it might not really work for everyone) to those looking for picture-books addressing the loss of a grandparent. show less

One day Syd stops by his grandfather's home and doesn't find him in his usual places. But then Grandad calls to Syd from the attic, and from there the two open a door onto a big steamer ship. They sail the seas to a remote island inhabited by tons of tropical animals. Grandad decides to stay on the island, and Syd travels back home alone.

This quiet, subtle book works its magic on you slowly. Upon a first read, I wasn't super impressed. But after mulling on it and then returning for a second show more read a week or so later, I found myself quite enamored with it. Although it might not be super apparent to the youngest readers that Syd's grandfather has died, it could be quite a comforting read for a child dealing with the death of a loved one. If they've been told their loved one has "gone to a better place," this book could help visual that for them. For children who don't quite get the death aspect, this could just be a pleasant read about using one's imagination to visit another place.

The illustrations, done digitally according to the book's inside cover, are lovely. Lots of color and activity great the reader on each page. show less

Noi, his fisherman father, and his cetacean friend return in this follow-up to The Storm Whale, as the little boy waits one winter night for his father to return from his last sea voyage of the season. When his father does not come home, Noi sets out to find him, walking carefully across the frozen waves. But when he finally does happen upon his father's boat, he finds it empty! Fortunately for Noi, his whale friend comes to his rescue, breaking the ice (together with his whale pod), and show more shepherding the little boy to shore, and to his father.

Although I didn't find the story here quite as poignant as in the first book, probably because that initial tale focused on Noi's feelings of loneliness, and on his father's understanding of his actions in bringing the whale home, it was still appealing. I enjoyed revisiting these characters, and think that young readers and listeners will feel the same. The artwork in The Storm Whale in Winter was every bit as gorgeous as in the first, depicting the warmth of Noi's home (with six cats!) and the frigid depths of the winter sea beautifully! My favorite scene, visually speaking, was the one in which the pod of whales is seen from underneath, approaching the boat in which Noi is resting. Recommended to anyone who enjoyed The Storm Whale, as well as to anyone looking for picture-books with a seashore/marine theme. show less