GREENAWAY MEDAL WINNER – 1990
Dyan Sheldon, text
Gary Blythe, illustrations
Hutchinson Children’s Books, 1990
24 pp.
Age: 3 +
Interests: whales, ocean, grandparents, animals, nature
Lilly’s grandma tells her wonderful tales about magical whales, though her grandpa says, rather grumpily, that she shouldn’t believe such nonsense. Still, Lilly can’t help but dream about singing whales. She gives the waves a small flower as a gift and waits for the whales to come. In the middle of a bright moonlit night they do come, and they’re calling her name.
A simple story, gently incorporating the differing points of view of Lilly’s grandparents, yet landing squarely on the side of the more magical world of her grandmother. Lilly dreams and waits patiently by the shore for the whales to come, and is rewarded for her efforts.
Lush paintings add to the dreamy quality of this tale.
Rarest Kind of Best 