"Whale of a Story" by Buddy Davis

About the book: Children’s book with pirates, ships, whales, and of course - Jonah!!

• Story of Jonah told in a unique way
• A clever and fun way of telling a familiar Bible story
• Includes questions for parents to discuss with their children

Join Captain John Fisher and the men aboard the Southern Cross, an Australian ship commissioned for the purpose of spreading the gospel in the summer of 1849. After a morning of warding off pirates, the captain tells the crew the Bible story about Jonah and the great fish, and it’s a Whale of a Story! With dazzling illustrations and plenty of action, this is sure to be any child’s favorite bedtime - or anytime - story!

Review:  This is a book full of strong art that will appeal to the boys in your life and it actually tells two stories.  First of all it is (as is told in the "About the book" section) the story of a ship in 1849 that was commissioned to  spread the gospel.  Ben Schooner, who was a cabin boy on the ship, the Southern Cross, welcomes you and the "mates" and he begins to tell the story of one of the sailings of the Southern Cross. The trip is packed with adventure! But on one day the captain, who was a Christian, decided to share a story with the "mates" straight out of God's Word. So he commenced to tell the story of Jonah.

As the Captain continues telling the Biblical story of the storm at sea and how Jonah was cast into the sea and then swallowed by a great fish, the crew of the Southern Cross experiences a whale appearing and soaking everyone on board thoroughly with water. A rather startling and timely incident. But the Captain continued telling the story of Jonah and the great fish that swallowed him.

There are questions at the end of the story that a parent may use to guide discussion with children. This story could present opportunity for parents to help their children understand "running from God" and "obedience to God's call."  I would, however, encourage parents to be certain their child understands that this is in fact two separate stories and that the child doesn't confuse the great fish that swallowed Jonah (Biblical story) with the whale that splashed the mates aboard the Southern Cross (storybook tale). 

Of interest from Wikipedia: Southern Cross has been the name of a succession of ships serving the Melanesian Mission of the Anglican Church and the Church of the Province of Melanesia. She succeeded the Undine, a 21-ton schooner built at Auckland and in service from 1849 to 1857. Funds from Charlotte Mary Yonge's novel The Heir of Redclyffe (1854) were devoted to funding the construction of the Melanesian mission vessel.

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was given to me in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed are solely my own.