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Whale in the Bath (Kylie Westaway, illus by Tom Jellett, A&U)

Bruno is a boy with a problem. His mother has told him it’s bath time and insists he must have a bath before going to bed. Bruno then discovers a whale in the bath that has made itself quite at home—and is even using Bruno’s bubble-gum bubble bath and Dad’s back scrubber. Bruno’s sister says he’s telling lies, and reminds him that last week he said there was a bear under his bed and on Dad’s birthday he said there was a walrus in the backyard. Several attempts by Bruno to persuade the whale to let him have a bath fail. Finally, the whale comes up with a very wet solution, and Bruno is at last ready for bed. The combination of Kylie Westaway’s simple, imaginative story and Tom Jellett’s lively illustrations provides an entertaining read-aloud story for young children. The whale is literally too big to fit on the pages and there’s a palpable sense of being splashed with bubbly, soapy water. This is recommended for children who have problems at bath time.

Margaret Hamilton is a former children’s book publisher. She now provides freelance publishing services and runs Pinerolo, the Children’s Book Cottage in Blackheath

 

Category: Reviews