A Whale of a Mistake

PreS-Gr 1--A lyrical take on accepting and moving past one's mistakes. Written in second person voice, the story follows a blue-haired child clad in a blue tunic (described as a "girl" on the dust jacket but otherwise unidentified in appearance). When the little protagonist makes a mistake, the feeling feeds on worry and grows from a small glowing sphere into a giant whale that nearly swallows the child and takes them along for a ride on some rough seas. "You don't know where your mistake is taking you, but you'll have to go along..." Eventually, embracing fear and uncertainty transforms the choppy waves into a tranquil starry expanse. Even the stars fall, however, leading to an even more profound realization that "there's a whole universe of mistakes out there. Somehow, your mistake doesn't seem to big anymore." By the end of the journey, the huge cetacean shrinks, becoming a friendly little whale that swims away, vanishing into the distance. Hobai's ink, watercolor, and acrylic illustrations deftly convey the mood of the story, transitioning from tumultuous dark indigo and purple washes to more tranquil pinks and lighter blues, while the narrating voice feels calm and reassuring throughout the tale. VERDICT Though the metaphor of the whale might confuse the youngest audience, the story lends itself to a discussion about making and dealing with mistakes.--Yelena Voysey, formerly at Pickering Educational Library, Boston University