The biblical story of Jonah and the whale is told from the whale’s perspective. A happy whale leads a normal whale life. He sings a whale song that God gave him. One night a storm in the ocean leads to a man being tossed into the water. Whale is called by God to save Jonah from the ocean. Whale saves him, but does not like having this man in his belly. He complains, but listens for God to tell him what to do next. Whale sings the song God gave him. God tells Whale to spit Jonah onto land.

The book has soft, beautiful illustrations by Giuliano Ferri. A view of Whale’s belly in the drawings shows an outline of Jonah after he has been swallowed. The illustrator plays with light and shadow to help communicate the mood and tone of the story. Few details are shown so the younger audience can focus on the main action in the story. Whale has a relationship with God from the beginning to the end of the story. He uses God’s gifts to do God’s will. Whale’s moods and actions are familiar to children. He is playful and curious, yet fussy when his patience is tested. Although this book was written for younger children, the word choices are too sophisticated. Some of the themes found in the book (such as prayer, relationship to God, obedience, service, God’s will, and gifts from God) could be used for discussion with older readers.

This is a splendid addition to school, public, parish, or home library.