Little Truff senses something is wrong. At sea, in a boat with her family, she tugs her master to the stern.
A whale’s out there. It hasn’t moved, I think it’s tangled in a net and trying to get free.
Little Truff and the Whales is the latest in a series of books by Ann Russell. Little Truff is a plucky little Cavalier who narrates the story-poem directly to the reader. In this saga Little Truff and her family are out at sea fishing when they came across a whale entangled in a net.
The family does the right thing, and stays with the whale until help arrives.
This is a really beautiful story, told with very beautiful illustrations. It’s also a New Zealand story in so many ways, which makes it really special to read. As a reader, it will appeal to children, probably 8 and up. I found the language was quite technical, especially when delivered as a poem. And I found some of the lines were a little lumpy to read, at least on the first reading. That’s a very minor critiscism though.
It’s clear that Ann Russell has thoroughly researched this book, and has a strong affinity to the characters. The book also includes some great information on disentanglement, whale strandings, and even a glossary. This makes the book a really informative read that will appeal to older children as an educational resource.
Little Truff and the Whales – Written by Ann Russell – Published by Ann Russell Books – RRP$21
