A Whale in Paris

by Daniel Presley, Claire Polders, Erin Mcguire (Illustrator)

During the German occupation of Paris, Chantal, twelve, spies a whale while fishing with her father in the Seine and is determined to return it to the ocean before the Nazis or starving Parisians can destroy it.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, World War II, France, Fantasy, Fiction, War

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 2018

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars for this beautiful tale of a girl in WW II Paris who befriends a whale.

A big thank you to Atheneum and Edelweiss for a digital ARC of this upcoming release.

Chantal is motherless and helps her father go night fishing on the Seine just after D Day. She discovers a whale in the river. Even though no one believes her at first, she persists and makes friends with the whale naming him Franklin after the U.S. president. Despite the joy the Parisians experience over the D Day victories, the reality of war soon sets in and they begin to despair. Soon Chantal needs Franklin to help her save Paris. She promises to help him return to the English Channel in return for his help.

In this book we see the bonds of family, the difficulties in deciding who is trustworthy in war, the transcendent connection between Chantal and Franklin. This novel gently informs children about World War II without shocking or intruding. Highly recommended as a read aloud for 3rd grade and up.

[Bojan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book awoken so much emotions in me:love, anger, happiness, sadness, action, friendship. This book is awesome! :)

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lower middle grade story about the power of friendship and love during WWII. I enjoyed the historical tidbits sprinkled throughout and Chantal's friendship with the whale was heartwarming. The parts about the war were grim without being too scary or graphic for an MG reader. Overall, a solid MG historical.

I received an ARC at ALA midwinter.

[Kelly Veatch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Even though it was in the middle of Paris during the German occupation of World War II, it was such a sweet story! This is definitely one I will recommend to my students this year.

[Dorothy Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved A Whale in Paris. I bought the book with my young grandchildren in mind but wanted to read it first to make sure it was appropriate and found myself immersed in the story and the characters. The time and place, World War II in Paris during the German occupation felt both true to that time but also relevant to where we find ourselves today, with so many seeming to veer towards intolerance and hatred. I appreciated the authors skilled handling of the characters - these are not stereotypes. Showing the humanity in a young German soldier and the hypocrisy of a Parisian, will help children understand the importance of not judging others by their uniform, skin color or any other identifier; that it is people's actions by which we should judge them. I also appreciated the quaint illustrations.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s Paris, 1944, and the war is still ongoing. Despite the fact that there are whispers in the streets of the the Allies coming, the “guests” are still very much present. Chantal Duprey often wonders how the Allies will come, so it is no surprise that while fishing one night with her father, a fishmonger, a strange sound comes from the Seine. But… this sound is different than what a submarine should sound like. In fact, this sound is big and has a fin. A whale in in the Seine! As Chantal grows close to her whale friend, she realizes that they are both prisoners in Paris. It takes all of Chantal’s courage to realize that in order for her to survive and save her family, she must also save her friend from a frightful fate as well.

THOUGHTS: A delightful tale of a heroine saving her family and friend in the time of war. A great choice for upper elementary students who wish to have a historical tale, with an adventurous twist.

[Laura Noakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet, classic-feeling MG book with a unique premise & great execution to boot.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is one of those that is perfect for reading aloud or reading alone, one that I so wish had been written when my children were school-aged.

A plucky heroine befriends a lovable whale during WWII in Paris and a page-turning adventure ensues as they join together to reunite with their families. A very unique tale among so many from this historical backdrop.

"It was enough to love and be loved, the most powerful force in the world." Love brought them together and became the driving force that gave each one the courage needed for the daunting tasks they encountered.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paris, ukulele music, historical WWII setting: what more could one want in a book? And the story line was everything I wanted it to be. 5 stars.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Much better than I had expected as neither war stories, nor animal stories tend to call to me. However, this was a sweet, fantastical story that seemed *almost* plausible and I enjoyed reading it very much.

[Claire Polders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, but I'm biased. Along with my husband, I dreamed and talked and wrote this novel into existence. So obviously, I love this story about a heroic girl who befriends a lost whale, questions (male) authority, defends the ones in need, overcomes her fears, and helps liberate her country. The circumstances are often dark—occupation, war, hunger, camps—but our heroine persists, because she never loses faith in the power of friendship and love. I’m grateful to Erin McGuire who illustrated this novel and depicted our characters in beautiful Paris. Reading A Whale in Paris now is almost like a visit to France in times past.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story about a 6th grader in occupied Paris who befriends a whale that is lost in the Seine, just as D Day launches and Paris is being starved by the occupying Nazis. It’s an improbable story but one that teaches about hope, promises, friendship, and love. Not my usual type of story but I enjoyed it very much

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book together with my 9-year-old daughter and we both loved it. Chantal's experiences in occupied Paris brought up numerous issues for discussion and I could see my daughter's mind opening with many possibilities she hadn't previously considered. It gave her an opportunity to learn about World War II and Paris on a level that was exactly right. Franklin the whale is enchanting, and the authors do a terrific job of moving the story forward with plenty of plot twists that will keep both young and old readers engaged. I highly recommend this book for middle-grade and junior high-aged kids and families (I'm hoping an audiobook version will come out -- would be a great listen for a family car trip). P.S. I'm giving to all of my slightly older children to read as well and I am sure they will also enjoy it.

[Lindy MacLaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely story! The allure of a personal bond with a whale... Plus a fine piece of WWII France historical fiction.

[Kelly Green's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart warming tale of an unlikely friendship and the spirit of never giving up hope. This tale of a young girl befriending a whale trapped in the Seine in Paris during World War I is very well written and keeps the readers attention at every turn of events. With a multitude of lessons for every age this story is sure to be one that readers will remember.

[Allison Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since the German occupation of Paris, Chantal's life has grown dimmer, quieter, and hungrier each day. She and her Papa must fish in the Seine to survive, and the fish aren't biting. Chantal discovers a surprising reason for the lack of fish: a whale has appeared in the river, far upstream from its home. The whale becomes a source of amusement, hope, and even resistance in this gentle, whimsical WWII adventure for children. A good choice for elementary-aged kids who'd like a war story that isn't too intense.

[Roshan s. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the last 2 years I’ve read many good books but this is my favorite of all time. It’s a charming tale of a girl living in Paris during the nazi occupation. It is so sad yet hopeful, and the tale is fit for anyone- young or old. I cannot recommend this enough. 10/10

[Kati Polodna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 almost 4 stars. Because honestly how can you not be charmed by a whale in Paris during WWII? Received at ALA Midwinter 2018.

[Em (Makenna) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, a world war 2 story involving a whale and a girl who plays the ukulele for the whale, what more do you need? I would read this again.

[Shelley]

Author's guest post at my blog:
https://bookfare.blogspot.com/2022/09...

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This middle grade novel takes place in German occupied Paris during WWII. Chantal lives with her father, a fishmonger. She helps him by going fishing with him. One night, they are out and they catch no fish. This has never happened before. Chantal hears a strange noise and discovers a whale in the Seine. Chantal can't believe it. She forms a special relationship with the whale, who she names Franklin. At first people are amazed and fascinated by Franklin - especially the kids who are given rides on top of the whale! However, over time, the Germans want the whale as a present for Hitler. When Chantal learns they want to trap him in an aquarium, she sets out on a daring rescue.

I thought this book was charming and I think kids will like it. I liked how it was set in German occupied Paris. I thought the author did a good job of bringing in facts about the war in a very gentle way. This would be a good introduction to the topic, without focusing on the more disturbing things that took place during the war. I liked Chantal and I thought her relationship with the whale was magical. I also really liked how the author made Private Schroeder, the German soldier in charge of guarding Chantal and the whale to be kind and sympathetic to Chantal. This shows the reader that not all German soldiers were monsters.

There were a few things that bothered me about the book. The whale seemed to be able to understand and talk back to Chantal. I found this to be a little unbelievable. I also, thought her whole escape with the whale was rather far-fetched. I don't think she could have made that journey and survived. Also, when I read historical fiction, I like to have some historical notes at the end of the book. What inspired the author to have a whale in the Seine? Was it just something she made up? It would have been interesting to know.

[Deanna Holdsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Chantal and her family which consists of her father, aunt and a whale named Franklin.
It is Paris during WWII and the German Army has taken over the city. Chantal's family used to sell fish and were known to always have the best fish. However, as Chantal and her father fish as night no fish are being caught. While playing her ukulele one night she notices a Whale in the Seine!? When she tells others nobody believes her so she plays her ukulele during the day and others see Franklin the whale. Children are soon riding him in the river and Chantal is known as the whale girl. Hope springs up in Paris which is what they need at this time. When Chantal's father and aunt are taken away to a camp Chantal is now told to guard the whale for the Germans. They want Franklin for an aquarium in Germany. The people of Paris now want Franklin for a meal! With the help from an unlikely friend Chantal and Franklin begin an adventure of a lifetime!
Will they both find their families? Will the war ever end? This book was a delight to read I know adults and middle graders will love it...Happy Daily Reading.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of emotions (yes, I cried) both happy and sad, war and family. I thought that the focus on Chantal and Franklin was a nice distraction whole the war story was told alongside it. It is a good introduction to what war was like for many people for my 7.5 yr old.

This book was in our BYL Reading Crate about WW2.
I'm using this for the 2019 BYL Reading Challenge in the A book featuring aquatic life category.

[Ramarie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like the setting and the characters and the idea of a whale befriending a girl but it stretched credulity so much, with riding the whale and dodging German bullets and airplanes, and so much more...I can’t recommend it. Too bad!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read aloud to my 5th grader and we loved it

[Tiffani Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story, and while it may not be on the believable side of historical fiction it is a story that kids would enjoy.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute story! Franklin is adorable!

[Elisabeth Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my daughter and it is really quite beautiful. The similes and metaphors are gorgeous and not forced. We both enjoyed it immensely.

[Hugo James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is suspenseful, exciting and magical. Your personality comes from your heart not your uniform or country.

[Doug Glenning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great novel with an easy flow for the reader and a heart warming storyline about the importance of family and caring for others!