The Boy Who Met a Whale

February 28, 2022
In Farook’s (The Girl Who Stole an Elephant) second outing set on the beautiful, Sri Lanka-inspired island of Serendib, the lives of grieving fisher boy Razi and his sister Shifa are further upended by the arrival of Zheng, a loquacious seafaring child who claims to be on the run from two villainous thieves after escaping a shipwreck. The siblings are skeptical of Zheng’s tales but soon find themselves on a maritime adventure featuring an ancient dagger, a sea vessel chase, and an encounter with the titular whale. Farook draws from Sri Lankan geography, ecology, and culture, punctuating the text with vivid descriptions of Indian Ocean port city Galle, marine life, Razi’s fishing village, and delicious Sri Lankan foods. Razi’s wonder at the natural beauty and fauna of the island never fails “to amaze him and lift his spirits,” brightening this treasure hunt tale, which offers a fantastical, fresh take on familiar tropes. Ages 8–12. Agent: Joanna Moult, Skylark Literary.

December 1, 2021

Gr 3-5-When Razi slips down to the beach early one morning to watch the hatchling sea turtles scurry to the safety of the sea, he finds a boat drifting near shore. In the boat, he discovers a boy, unconscious, parched, and covered with salt. Just as Razi pulls Zheng to safety and places him in the shade of the coconut trees, he encounters two nefarious-looking men searching for the boy, whom Razi quickly misdirects. When the beguiling Zheng regains consciousness, he quickly charms Razi into the adventure of his life. The two 12-year-old boys, along with Razi's twin sister, Shifa, set off to recover buried treasure ahead of the pair of villainous crew members from Zheng's storm-sunk ship. The story unfolds like a luminous fairy tale, enhanced by the ebullient Zheng, whose stories the twins find almost too outlandish to believe. Farook invokes the beauty of her native Sri Lanka with sparkling descriptions of island and sea. The intrepid trio manage to outwit their enemies with some quick thinking and a few assists from sea creatures, including the titular whale. Along the way, the three find more than the jeweled Dagger of Serendib; they find themselves. Each youngster ends up a wiser, better person: orphan Zheng finds a family, Razi rediscovers his love of the sea, and Shifa learns to trust. Like the sea turtles Razi loves, each child experiences growth on the sea, but also a pull back to the island. VERDICT This lyrical story, reminiscent of Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories will be appreciated by all lovers of adventurous fairy tales.-Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor S. D., Lancaster, PA

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2021
Two siblings become embroiled in a dangerous adventure after meeting a mysterious young boy. In her sophomore novel, Farook returns to Serendib, her fictionalized version of Sri Lanka. When readers first meet Razi, he's watching baby turtles as they venture out to sea. Moments later, a foreign rowboat appears with a sunburned, barely conscious, and desperately hungry boy named Zheng inside. A former deckhand, polyglot Zheng just narrowly escaped an attempted poisoning and shipwreck through sheer good luck. It becomes apparent that he's keeping a dangerous secret and that it's related to a package he's hiding. Razi and his sister, Shifa, will need to help him if he is going to survive. However, Razi and Shifa are dealing with grief, and Razi, despite being a member of a tightknit fishing community, has avoided the water since a recent family tragedy. But when he realizes that reacquainting himself with the ocean is necessary in order to save Zheng, he and Shifa set sail. Zheng's secret alludes to the harm of colonization in a way that middle-grade readers will understand. Additionally, the scenes where the trio is dodging danger are just the right amount of scary. Razi's love and connection with animals lead him to meet the whale of the title, who serves as a wonderful protector that readers will be drawn to. An exciting and appealing page-turner. (map) (Adventure. 8-12)

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December 1, 2021
Grades 4-7 After his father's death at sea, former fisher boy Razi wants nothing more to do with the ocean. He prefers peaceful mornings on land, observing sea turtles on a deserted Sri Lankan beach. When a seemingly empty vessel drifts into view, Razi is shocked to spot an unconscious passenger. He rescues a bedraggled Zheng, fresh off a shipwreck and clinging to life. As Razi and his twin sister help Zheng regain his strength, they are taken with his outlandish seafaring stories, but it becomes apparent that there are dangerous people in search of Zheng and his mysterious treasure map. With a priceless cultural artifact at stake, the skeptical trio must learn to trust one another, and Razi must find the courage to trust the sea. It's a thrilling, old-fashioned treasure hunt, and the Sri Lankan setting makes familiar arcs feel fresh. Short, action-packed chapters keep things moving at a fast clip, while lush descriptions and flashes of beauty (including an astonishing encounter with the titular whale) will keep readers absorbed. A proper adventure story with a tender heart.

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January 1, 2022
Farook (The Girl Who Stole an Elephant) returns to Serendib, her fictionalized Sri Lankan setting, for an exciting Treasure Island-style tale that pits three young protagonists against two murderous villains. Twelve-year-old twins Razi and Shifa help Zheng, also twelve, who has landed on their beach after escaping a shipwreck. Before his ship sank, Zheng managed to save a treasure map leading to the fabled Dagger of Seredib; but there are two other survivors desperate to get the map by any means necessary. Sea monsters, murderers, hidden treasure, a raging storm, and a fast-paced plot full of twists and turns and clever cliffhangers will pull readers into a tale that is also a moving family story. For example, young fisherman Razi must overcome his grief after a family tragedy left him with a fear of the sea. Short sentences laced with action verbs, short chapters, and specific details of the island setting ensure a lively reading experience.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)