Recent Reads: Whale, That Was Unexpected by Casey Lyall,

Source: From Librarything Early Reviews program in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Whale, That Was Unexpected by Casey Lyall, Illustrated by Kathryn Durst

Publisher: Tundra Books

Publication Date:  June 30, 2026 

 

Format: Hardback

Rating:

Synopsis: 

Stoic seafarer Maude and her canine sidekick Claude head out to fish as they have done every day for many years. But this time, something unexpected happens. (Maude hates it when something unexpected happens.)

They get swallowed by a whale. What does one do when one is swallowed by a whale? Throw a farewell party, I guess. (Maude loves a good party.)

Hilarity ensues as more and more creatures get swallowed and Maude has to keep changing her party plans. (Maude does not love crowds.)

Will Maude and the whale part ways, or is this the end? (Maude would prefer it if we could hurry this up.)

Okay, okay. Read on to find out.

Review: 

Old Maude is a bit of a grump, and she heads out on her boat with her dog, Claude. Unfortunately, their normal outing takes an unexpected turn when they are eaten by a whale. Once they find themselves inside the whale, they decide there’s really only one thing to do: have a farewell party. Of course, things don’t go quite as planned. More and more animals crash their goodbye plans, forcing Maude and Claude to start the party over a few times.

Such a cute and silly book! It’s definitely a little macabre in the sense that the story revolves around the possibility of Maude and Claude dying inside a whale, but somehow it manages to make the whole situation feel playful and fun rather than scary. The rhyming scheme is especially enjoyable, and I think reading it aloud and gradually picking up the pace would make it even more entertaining for young readers. There’s a great rhythm to the story that feels like it would lend itself really well to an animated, energetic read-aloud.

My favorite part, though, was the breaking of the 4th wall. Maude and the narrator actually talk to each other, which adds a fun layer of humor and gives readers another reason to giggle. 

Overall, this is a quirky, funny story. It has just enough silliness and dark humor to make it memorable, and I think it would be especially fun to share as a read-aloud.