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Summary
Summary
"Papa?"asked Little Blue. "Are we going very far?"
"Yes, Little Blue. We will travel farther
than we have ever gone before."
As two whales swim together through the big ocean, Little Blue has many questions for Papa, especially ones about the long migration. How will they know the way? Will he be able to keep up? What will they see along the way?
Papa has answers for all these questions, but Little Blue remains curious as they begin their journey. What could be down below, where they can't see? The answer is a magical world and Little Blue is enchanted . . . until there is only darkness surrounding the young whale. But if Little Blue is quiet and listens, can Little Blue hear Papa's song?
Filled with the wonders of the ocean and the comfort of a father's presence, Following Papa's Song is a heartwarming story to be read again and again.
Author Notes
Gianna Marino spent her early years galloping horses through Golden Gate Park and writing stories of her adventures. She has traveled throughout the world and now lives in Northern California, where she writes and illustrates full time. Visit Gianna at giannamarino.com.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-Little Blue, a young humpback whale, is worried about his first long migration up the coast, and he is scared he will be separated from Papa in the big ocean. As with human families on adventures, Little Blue has many questions that need to be answered and needs to be reassured that everything will be fine. What will they see on their journey? Can Little Blue keep up? How will they know the way? What is down below in the dark areas? Little Blue continues to ask questions, the most pressing of which is "what if I get lost?" Papa reminds him to listen for his song as they travel. But can Little Blue hear Papa's song? Stunning artwork takes readers into the lush, inviting waters filled with marine life swimming effortlessly across the pages. The blend of text and vivid mixed-media illustrations make this original story a heartwarming reminder of how children learn to trust and listen for papas' songs in our lives. This is a story for all ages to enjoy. What a wonderful way to use science in the lower grades. A top choice for any library.-Janene Corbin, Rosebank Elementary School, Nashville, TN (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
When the whales make the long migration to their summer feeding ground, first-timer Little Blue is full of questions that betray his anxieties about the journey. His huge, even-tempered Papa is the picture of reassurance, explaining that whales have been migrating "for years upon years," and even if Little Blue gets lost (which he does, carried away by the beauty of the ocean and a burgeoning sense of adventure), he need only listen for Papa's special song. In this thematic companion to 2012's Meet Me at the Moon, Marino's writing is solemn and earnest ("Papa's voice echoed across the sea, through the liquid light and deep into the mysterious black"), but her gouache illustrations are exuberant and gorgeous, with a parchmentlike texture that captures dappling sunlight, murky depths, and the endless energy of the current. This visual eloquence carries over to her portrayal of father and son, as wells: even though the whales are seen almost exclusively in profile, their soulful eyes exude unconditional love and a faith in the forces of nature. Ages 3-5. Agent: Deborah Warren, East/West Literary Agency. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Whale Little Blue is awaiting the whale song that Papa tells him signifies the start of their migration. After they begin swimming, Little Blue gets separated from his dad but remembers Papa's admonition to listen for his song, and they're ultimately reunited. It's a somewhat facile story; the real draw is the painterly mixed-media illustrations in a deep oceanic palette. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Little Blue the whale and Papa are preparing to journey to their summer feeding ground. Little Blue is full of questions (But Papa? How will we know which way to go?), all of which Papa answers with patience. And Papa assures him that the song of the whales will always serve as his guide. When Little Blue's curiosity leads him astray, he learns the wisdom of his father's words. Appearing on full-bleed, double-page spreads depicting the vastness of the ocean, Little Blue and Papa seem simultaneously mammoth yet tiny. The shifting colors of the underwater world peaceful green, sun-drenched yellow, unexpected pink give the impression that the whales are moving through a rainbow, until Little Blue finds himself so deep that color is almost nonexistent. A gorgeous, comforting book that provides a lovely counterpoint to Marino's Meet Me at the Moon (2012).--Dean, Kara Copyright 2014 Booklist
