There Was an Old Sailor by Claire Saxby and Cassandra Allen (Kids Can Press, March 2014) is a delightful rendition of the “old lady who swallowed a fly” song, this time featuring a sailor on the sea.
In this tale, the old man swallows a krill, a jellyfish, and more, leading up to a shark and whale of course! He does not die as the old lady often does, but rather the old sailor burps and sails off to sea as the sea creatures disperse in the swirling waters around him.
The gorgeous illustrations (rendered in gouache and pencil) are also simply stunning. To add to the delight, the last pages include simple facts about the animals featured in this story. Although there is a plethora of books continuing the “old lady” song, this one certainly stands out. Who can resist seeing how an old sailor (supposedly) swallows a whale?
Note: I received a digital review copy of this book.
