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Overview
One bossy cat.
One nervous beagle.
Two best friends.
When Alistair and Kip set out to sea, they quickly find themselves in deep water.
Who will come to the rescue?
Join them and have a whale of a time in John Segal's charming tale of adventure and friendship.
Synopsis
One bossy cat.
One nervous beagle.
Two best friends.
When Alistair and Kip set out to sea, they quickly find themselves in deep water.
Who will come to the rescue?
Join them and have a whale of a time in John Segal's charming tale of adventure and friendship.
Children's Literature
Here is a perfect adventure for any child who has uttered the words, "I'm bored." Alister was bored. One Tuesday morning, with his best friend Kip, he measured and cut, hammered, and nailed a sturdy boat and set off down the creek. From creek to river to bay to vast ocean, they rowed. A giant wave struck their little vessel and tossed the pair high in the air and then deep into the sea. They struggled to the surface and spied a small island but as they rested, a sudden rumble revealed their refuge to be a huge whale. The large but gentle creature offered his services and sailed the pair across the ocean, to the bay to the river and the creek and finally home. At day's end Alister was already plotting the next day's adventure—building an airplane, much to Kip's chagrin. Hold on to your hats for a whale of a tale. The simply worded text is full of drama and suspense that plays out over warm watercolors filled with high spirited whimsy. Beginning readers will find this not too challenging to try on their own, and it makes a great adventure to share parent to child. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey
Editorials
Children's Literature -
Here is a perfect adventure for any child who has uttered the words, "I'm bored." Alister was bored. One Tuesday morning, with his best friend Kip, he measured and cut, hammered, and nailed a sturdy boat and set off down the creek. From creek to river to bay to vast ocean, they rowed. A giant wave struck their little vessel and tossed the pair high in the air and then deep into the sea. They struggled to the surface and spied a small island but as they rested, a sudden rumble revealed their refuge to be a huge whale. The large but gentle creature offered his services and sailed the pair across the ocean, to the bay to the river and the creek and finally home. At day's end Alister was already plotting the next day's adventure—building an airplane, much to Kip's chagrin. Hold on to your hats for a whale of a tale. The simply worded text is full of drama and suspense that plays out over warm watercolors filled with high spirited whimsy. Beginning readers will find this not too challenging to try on their own, and it makes a great adventure to share parent to child. Reviewer: Beverley FaheySchool Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2- When one friend with a big imagination is bored, the other friend better watch out! So it is with Alistair, an orange cat who comes up with an idea for a new and exciting project and enlists the help of Kip, a beagle with a less- adventurous spirit. Determined to see the world, Alistair decides that they will build a boat and set sail for "far and distant lands." The two work together, measuring, hammering, and gluing, and before long, their craft is completed. Somewhat nervous about the actual idea of disembarking, Kip jumps in at the last minute and joins Alistair on a journey that is anything but boring, as they row down a creek and eventually make their way into the open sea. When a giant wave capsizes their small vessel, they swim for an island, only to discover that it's actually a kindly whale that safely shepherds them home. After thanking the whale, Alistair begins speculating about what they'll do next as poor Kip's ears rise in alarm. The quick-paced story is told through both dialogue and simple narrative. Beautifully rendered watercolors in bright hues comically depict the self-confident cat and his smaller canine pal. This tale of two friends who have a whale of a time will delight children who often use the dreaded "b" (bored) word.-Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA