Just So Stories

Harper Collins Australia

• ISBN: 9780008413439
• ISBN 10: 0008413436
• Imprint: HarperCollins GB
• RRP: $24.99

This is just an absolute cracker whichever you turn it – both the splendid rhyming text (perfectly cadenced) and the stunning illustrations combine to make it a sure-fire winner. And, definitely, a stand-out to kick off a little series of ‘sea’ themed picture book reviews.

Loads of your Smalls will be very familiar with Rob Biddulph as the creator of ‘Draw with Rob’ [I’ve often used his YT clips as a follow up for a book or other library activity]. Now he brings his considerable talent to this delicious book which carries a whale-sized message for all your kiddos.

Gigantic is actually the teeniest whale in his pod. His brother Titan is positively enormous. Despite the endless scornful teasing, Gigantic is quite happy to chum up with Myrtle the turtle, who is just his size, and the two of them have a lot of fun doing tricky twirls and turns.

Titan’s equally gargantuan mates, Colossus and Hulk, are very impressed to see the two little ones doing their fantastic flippety flops and terrific tailspins, and their very vocal praise irks Titan. Big and boastful, he decides he can not only match Gigantic’s tailspin but better it – but, oh oh – pride goeth before a falL, or grounding as the case may be. Titan doesn’t take note of the shallow depth of the water, completely beaches himself and is STUCK!

Lucky for him, neither Myrtle nor Gigantic bear a grudge, because they swiftly organise all the small sea-life into an aquatic rescue chain, all working together to pull the hapless behemoth back into safety. Titan is suitably chastened and humble, as he promises to be a better big brother, and of course, the wonderful message is that ‘your height doesn’t set you apart.What matter the most…is the size of your heart’.

In 2020 Rob taught 100, 000 online artists how to draw a blue whale, setting a record for doing so – the world’s largetst online art class and that character, and his popularity, was the inspiration for the book. I love that as much as I love the book!

Isn’t that a wonderful thought, that in one of grimmest years in recent times, one person can create so much happiness ❦? I realIy need to add just how in love I am with the glorious endpapers!! and the fact, that the QR code inside the back cover will take little readers to the YT clip below, so they can draw their own Gigantic and Myrtle.

I give this a very leviathan-sized recommendation for your small readers from around 3 years upwards. I’m very much looking forward to sharing it in the coming weeks and doing some drawing afterwards! Of course, it would also make a fab addition to any unit of work on sealife or oceans, or if you have an eco-marine programme at your school, as several of my local ones do 🐳,