Whanganuilibrary.com
Syndetics cover image
Image from Syndetics

Dear Professor Whale / Megumi Iwasa ; illustrations by Jun Takabatake.

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextLanguage: English Original language: Japanese Publisher: Wellington, New Zealand : Gecko Press, 2018Copyright date: ©2018Edition: English-language editionDescription: 102 pages : illustrations ; 21 cmContent type:
  • text
  • still image
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781776572076
  • 1776572076
  • 9781776572069
  • 1776572068
Uniform titles:
  • Watashi wa Kujira-Misaki ni Sumu Kujira to Imasu. English
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 895.636 23
LOC classification:
  • PZ7.1.I98 De 2018
Summary: Now that Professor Whale has retired, he writes many letters to "You, Whoever You Are, Who Lives on the Other Side of the Horizon". Seal and Pelican are busy delivering the letters and Penguin is now teaching. Although he is happy his friends are doing so well, Whale wants a special friend ; who might call him by a friendly sort of name. Like Whaley, maybe, instead of "Professor."
Holdings
Item type Current library Collection Call number Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Childrens Fiction Davis (Central) Library Children's Fiction Children's Fiction IWAS Available T00807595
Childrens Fiction Mobile Library Children's Fiction Children's Fiction IWAS Available T00807596
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

A charming chapter-book follow-up to the international bestseller Yours Sincerely, Giraffe Professor Whale is the only whale left at Whale Point. He thinks often of the old days when his friends were all around and they competed at the Whale Point Olympics. One day, he gets a letter from Wally. The young whale has heard about the great big enormous whale who won gold for his spectacular spouting. That gets him thinking. What if there could be a new Olympics, with the sea full of whales again? In this charming follow-up to the international bestseller, another correspondence flourishes across the horizons. The letters bring penguins, whales and seals together at the Whale Point Olympics, with friendship and humour winners on the day.

Novel for children.

Originally published in Japan in 2003 by KAISEI-SHA Publishing Co., Ltd., Tokyo.

Now that Professor Whale has retired, he writes many letters to "You, Whoever You Are, Who Lives on the Other Side of the Horizon". Seal and Pelican are busy delivering the letters and Penguin is now teaching. Although he is happy his friends are doing so well, Whale wants a special friend ; who might call him by a friendly sort of name. Like Whaley, maybe, instead of "Professor."

Primary National Library of New Zealand.

Translated from the Japanese.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 1-3-Professor Whale has retired from teaching and lives alone in the north. The color blue makes him happy, as does imagining himself with wings. But he's lonely, so he sends letters around the world through the "delivery seal," hoping for a fun pen pal. To his delight, he receives a letter from the grandson of an old friend. Soon after, the arrival of some visitors inspires him to revive the Whale Olympics. Together, he and his friends convince whales, seals, and penguins to compete in good fun. This delightful early chapter book makes for some smile-inducing reading. The black-and-white line drawings add a pleasant touch. VERDICT An ode to the joys of friendship and letter-writing, this is a great choice for early chapter book readers.-Heidi Grange, Summit Elementary School, Smithfield, UT © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Professor Whale has fond memories of the friendship between Giraffe and Penguin, which began as a simple letter exchange in Yours Sincerely, Giraffe (2017). Feeling lonely, he decides to follow their example and write a lot of letters, hoping to get at least one pen pal. Soon two responses arrive: Pelican (the airmail delivery bird) brings one from his former student Penguin, and Seal (the regular mail delivery mammal) brings one from Wally, a young whale at Otto Island, who wants to learn about his grandfather who once lived at Whale Point. His query leads to Professor Whale's reminiscing about his old friends, and he invites them to a Whale Point reunion. They have so much fun remembering their Olympic Games, they decide to hold another and invite the whales, penguins, seals, and pelicans to participate; they even invite Giraffe as their special guest. Takabatake again contributes childlike black-ink drawings that amplify the gentle, heartwarming nature of this beginning chapter book about friendship and how kindness reigns over winning.--J. B. Petty Copyright 2018 Booklist

Horn Book Review

In this friendship story from Japan, Professor Whale exchanges letters with young Wally, the grandson of a beloved fellow whale. Reminiscing about the good old days prompts the professor to resurrect the Whale Point Olympics, inviting far-flung friends (including Penguin and Giraffe from Yours Sincerely, Giraffe) to return for the fun and games. Humorous black-and-white line drawings add humor and warmth. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Book Review

Building upon Yours Sincerely, Giraffe (2017), Professor Whale organizes an Olympics.Author Iwasa sets her story at Whale Point, with Professor Whale as the protagonist (although now he is retired, he would really like to be called the more casual "Whaley" or "Big Blue"). When Professor Whale sends out many letters via Seal in his attempt to follow Giraffe's lead from the first book and discover new animals in the world, his only answer is from Wally, a young whale who lives at Otto Islanda disappointment, as Professor Whale was expecting a letter from an animal he wouldn't normally meet. Turns out, though, Wally is the grandson of an old friend of Professor Whale's who moved away in the big migration. Wally mentions an Olympics held long ago at Whale Point, at which his grandfather won a silver medal, and Professor Whale is inspired to organize another one. This part is delightfully silly, since the events are: a seal swimming race, a penguin walking race, and a whale spouting contest. Overall, though, the story labors to sparkle, mostly because it's so predictableeven many of Takabatake's black-and-white spot illustrations lack pizzazz. The story's theme of friendship plays out in regular helpings of goodness on the parts of the characters, and while kindness and friendship are wonderful things, a bit of spice is nice too. Not nearly as fresh as Yours Sincerely, Giraffe but not a total bust, either. (Fantasy. 6-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Powered by Koha