The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Lanan, Jessica

The Fisherman & the Whale

48 pp. | Simon | May, 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-1-5344-1574-4 $17.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-5344-1575-1

(2) K-3 In this dramatic wordless tale, a commercial fisherman and (presumably) his son fish with a large net. When the boy notices their lines have entangled a whale, the father dives in to free the creature. Lanan's watercolor and gouache paintings are expansive and cinematic; mostly full-bleed spreads place readers at the center of the action. An afterword provides more information on whale entanglement and human-caused environmental damage.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019