Revenge of the Whale

September 1, 2002
For older readers, Revenge of the Whale: The True Story of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick describes a tale worthy of Ahab: on November 20, 1820, an angry sperm whale took vengeance on the men who would slay it for oil. Adapted from Philbrick's bestselling title for adults, In the Heart of the Sea, the narrative draws from primary sources, including the account of cabin boy Thomas Nickerson, who joined the crew at age 14.

April 1, 2005
Gr 7 Up -Works of primitive arts that otherwise would never be seen by most students are presented so that they can be examined more closely than they ever could in a museum. Through the technology of QuickTime VR, the objects can be rotated 360 degrees, or viewers can zoom into each detail. More than 52 specialists in different cultures and societies provide in-depth information about each of the 113 masterworks of the "Louvre of the Primary Arts." Students can select an area of the world and study works from that region. Fact sheets accompany each work as it is viewed; many words and concepts are defined or illustrated by clicking on it. Another click reveals a map showing the object's origin, or a comparison of its height to an adult and a child. Each piece is analyzed from three points of view: the object's aesthetic qualities, its purpose, and the society which produced it. Through an icon on the toolbar, viewers can access the thematic approach to the exhibit, which groups objects according to their common traits or uses. The plan of the gallery shows the works as they are exhibited in the Louvre, and each piece can be viewed by selecting it from the map. This view also offers an explanation, called "From Museum to Laboratory," of how the items are studied scientifically, x-rayed, and analyzed to reveal internal structure, age and composition, as well as a history of the exhibit. Commentaries can be printed, the exhibit can be searched by subject or name, and the search can be limited by geographic area. The software installs easily, and the opening screen and toolbar at the bottom make navigation smooth and straightforward, with help available on each screen. This presentation not only offers close-up views of fascinating works of art from the Inuit, Maya, Kanak, Infugao, and Dogon, but it also provides information through original sound documents, expert commentaries, and iconographic documents more thoroughly than a gallery tour. -"MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 5, 2004
In what PW
called "a tale worthy of Ahab," this book describes the events of November 20, 1820, when a sperm whale took vengeance on the men who would slay it for oil. Adapted from the bestselling title for adults, In the Heart of the Sea
. Ages 10-up.

Starred review from January 10, 2005
Ahoy! From the first strains of the sea chantey that opens this solid program, listeners will be swept back to an exciting and busy time in maritime history. Mali performs a keen reading that matches the gripping tone of Philbrick's work about the wreck of the Nantucket whaler Essex
in November 1820 and the amazing tale of some of the crew's survival and rescue several months later. As Philbrick writes, the sinking of the Essex
by an enraged sperm whale in the Pacific inspired the dramatic ending of Melville's Moby Dick
. But this history-filled volume, which often sounds like a novel, is the real thing, culled from accounts of people who were actually on the ship. Philbrick employs copious detail from the notebooks of the Essex
's cabin boy Thomas Nickerson and a previously published account of first mate Owen Chase to great effect. Mali makes sure that listeners ride the waves of exhilaration, fear, tragedy and joyous relief as he introduces the crew and their plight. Ages 12-up.