Ibis: A True Whale Story

Himmelman, John

ISBN 10: 0590428489 ISBN 13: 9780590428484

Publisher: Scholastic, 1990

Synopsis

Relates the adventures of a humpback whale calf that gets tangled in a fishing net and is later freed by a team of helpful whale watchers

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Reviews

PreSchool-Grade 1-- If good intentions were enough to make a good story, this book would qualify. It is a fictionalized account of a true story about a humpback whale who becomes wrapped in a fisherman's net but who is saved by people in boats. Unfortunately, Himmelman attributes human emotions and thoughts to Ibis. At first, she decides that people are friendly: "Ibis liked them." But after the entanglement, which she correctly blames on humans, she is "confused and hurt." Even her facial expressions in the attractive pen-and-watercolor pictures show fear, unhappiness, and joy. Himmelman has honed down incidents to simplify the story, undermining the suspense of the real event, in which two dangerous rescue efforts were launched before Ibis was saved. According to Karen Smyth in her more interesting, more advanced book on humpback whales, Crystal , (Down East Bks, 1986), "The release of Ibis had been called impossible, and is now often called a miracle." In Himmelman's version, she is easily rescued. An overuse of exclamation points at the climax does not compensate for the lack of excitement and the stilted quality of the text. --Kathleen Odean, Moses Brown School, Providence, RI
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ibis is a young humpback whale, "curious about everything in the ocean." She and her friend Blizzard grow up together, looking at starfish and making friends with people and boats. One day Ibis gets caught in a fishing net; after extended struggling, she breaks loose, but part of the net is caught in her mouth and wrapped around her tail. She suffers for weeks, unable to surface or to eat without difficulty and pain. Finally, Blizzard finds Ibis and pushes her to the surface, where two rafts full of people help keep her afloat and untangle the nets to set her free. Based on the true story of the first successful whale-entanglement rescue, which took place near Provincetown, Mass., in 1984, Himmelman's ( Amanda and the Witch Switch ) soft, lively watercolors are very nicely composed. Although textual and illustrative personification throughout most of the book is strained, Himmelman's account of the rescue itself--in both words and pictures--is completely engrossing. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Scholastic
• Publication date: 1990
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0590428489
• ISBN 13: 9780590428484
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 32