Shadow of the Whale by Celia Davies

A little beauty this.

A short novel in which the main characters David and Emma, who are brother and sister, are transported back in time to a whaling station in early new Zealand circa 1838, after an accident. The timeslip mechanism is a little clumsy but the contrast of modern life with that on the whaling station in 1838, is what makes this novel worth it.

In today's world David and Emma are spoilt self-centred brats, while on the whaling station they work hard for their living and contribute equally to the survival of the family.

Simply told, and I can still smell the stench of the rotting whale carcasses. The ending of the book makes up for the barbarity of the early whaling industry in New Zealand.

A good read for middle school children years 5 through to year 8

Reviewed by Bob

Published by Reed