Breathe

A very young white whale swims into the wider world of the arctic seas, celebrating first adventures of the very young.

Magoon’s digital art captures the colors and crisp, airy light of the Arctic setting; cartoon lines and wide eyes present creatures above and under the ice as friendly, rounded and smiling. Even the polar bear—seen against the sky through an ice hole as a dark shadow, possibly threatening—is fairly benign. The little whale (clearly a baby beluga but not named as such) is doing the work that toddlers do—exploring the world with mama nearby. The few words of the text speak both to whale baby and, by extension, to the listener: “Play all day // and swim, / and swim, / and swim. // Breathe.” This…

Richly composed and sweetly appealing—just right for baby storytimes as well as one-to-one sharing. (Picture book. 6 mos.-3)

A brand new baby white whale swims off for the first time to investigate his ocean world. The playful calf
frolics with puffins, jellyfish, crabs, and googly-eyed fish; sings to narwhals and squid; explores a pirate
ship; and smiles at polar bears peeking through holes in the arctic ice. When he emerges out of midnight
arctic waters, his spout sprays in mists. As he dives deep, his glowing gurgles and frothy foam are sharply
delineated against indigo waters. Every few pages the word breathe repeats, reminding readers that whales
need to come to the surface for air. When the baby sleeps contentedly…

In this arctic, glacial tale, little whale is pushed by his mother to experience life at its fullest and savor the full spectrum of emotions and experiences encountered daily in his world above and below the ocean waves. Magoon uses few words and simple sentences making this an ideal title for young readers. Additionally, his use of uncomplicated illustrations, mostly in shades of blue, lend a coolness to the feeling of the story, allowing the reader to practically experience the chill of the waters where little whale lives.

With the encouragement of its mother, a young whale spends the day exploring, making new friends, finding shipwrecks, and swimming past glaciers, while intermittently pausing to “breathe” during its busy day. When the whale encounters a polar bear and becomes frightened, its mother soon reappears and assures its safety. This comforting tale not only gives youngsters the opportunity to explore the ocean alongside a whale but also subtly reminds them of the importance of slowing down to take a break every once in a while. Magoon’s illustrations, which were rendered digitally, are vibrant and…

“Perfectly suitable as a read-aloud.”