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rockysavannah · 4 years ago

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Videl vs. Pan! A Bored Burp-Off!

Description:

WARNING THIS STORY CONTAINS: Female Burping.

If you’re not into any of the above things, please do not read!

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This could be considered a distant sequel to 'Bulma vs Chi-Chi! A Baby Shower Burping Contest!'.

Pan and Videl are sitting at home one day, bored out of their minds. After a couple of accidental eructations from the pair, they decide to have a burping contest, with a wager set in place to make it more interesting. Will Videl achieve victory, or will her daughter dominate? There’s only one way to find out.

I hope you like it. Any constructive criticism in the comments section is welcome.

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Originally uploaded back on March 7th, 2017 on Writing.com.

This story was co-written with Jokermask18/JWAPPEL in my interactive.

Since Writing.com basically requires people to need a paid membership in order to do anything on their website, it’s practically impossible for many people to write and read there. Therefore, I’ve decided to post some of the chapters from my interactives onto my other accounts as full-fledged stories so that they can reach a wider audience.

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The Art of the Thumbnail is a blend of two images. (Since no one had drawn this concept...).

Videl by Seiya-Dbz-Fan.

Pan by Krizart-DA.

Text by me and Jokermask18/JWAPPEL.

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Son Videl, Son Pan, and Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super © Funimation, Toei Animation, Shueisha and Akira Toriyama

(A/N: This is a collaboration with Jokermask18 A.K.A. JWAPPEL.)

Content Advisory! This story contains:

Female Hyper Belching

Taunting

Series: Dragon Ball

Characters: Son Videl, Son Pan

Synopsis: Videl and Pan try to alleviate their boredom by having some gassy fun.

If you’re not into any of the above things, please do not read!

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It was a quiet Saturday afternoon for the family of Son Gohan. The man of the house was out on business, leaving his wonderful wife and daughter to fend off the onslaught of boredom by themselves. The duo engaged in a multitude of recreational activities—watching television shows and movies, playing video and board games, even training—but nothing could keep their interests for more than a few minutes at best. Both were currently lounging around in the living room, Pan lied half-asleep on the couch and Videl was playing with a paddleball. Videl checked the clock and her eyes widened at the time.

“Oh no, it’s almost dinner time!” she exclaimed, loudly enough to capture the attention of her daughter, “I better get cooking!”

“…Huh?” Pan muttered groggily, until the weight of those words truly hit her, “Wait, dinner?! That sounds great! I’m starving!”

The eleven-year-old girl’s sudden burst of energy got a small chuckle out of her mother, “Well, you’ll have to ‘starve’ for a little longer, because it’ll take awhile to make enough food to satisfy your appetite.”

Pan’s lips curled downward, “Can I at least get a soda to hold me over.”

With an approving nod from her mother, Pan moved faster than a normal human could track, seemingly vanishing into thin air for a split second, before returning to the same spot, only with a root beer in hand. While Videl was getting up from her chair and heading for the kitchen, Pan began chugging the contents of her can. The carbonated beverage cascaded down her esophagus before landing in the pits of her stomach, mixing with the boiling green acids that were already dwelling there, and forming large bubbles of gas from the chemical reaction. Pan put her right hand on her belly when she heard a low rumbling deep inside. She felt pockets of air shift around within her tummy, before some of it was dislodged and evicted up a valve at the top of the stomach. Pan barely had time to register what happened before a juicy belch blasted past her lips, catching her by surprise. Videl stopped in the kitchen and turned to look at her daughter, who just sported a look of content on her face.

“That felt good,” Pan commented with a giggle.

“Pan, you should show better manners than that,” Videl reprimanded with a stereotypical parental finger pointing.

Pan scoffed internally, wishing that her mom would loosen up once in a while, like what her dad said she was like as a teenager. Alas, Videl’s acceptance of her role as a housewife had meant that she sacrificed much of her cooler (in Pan’s opinion), tomboyish personality, so it was unlikely to happen anytime soon.

Videl was about to get the ingredients and kitchen ware needed to make a meal fit for a demi- and quarter-Saiyan, but was stricken with a sudden pang of thirst. Wanting to quickly quench it before getting to work, she fished through the fridge and picked out a can of Jetap, before popping it open and spraying some of the alcoholic liquid on her cheeks. Pan snickered at this, while Videl took a large swig of her drink, draining the can in a matter of seconds. Once the intoxicated fluid splashed into her gut, a similar reaction that happened in Pan’s abdominal area occurred here too. As soon as Videl removed the can from her mouth, a beery burp rippled out of it, having the length, volume, and smell to be comparable to her daughter. When the three-second-long eructation ended, Videl’s cheeks lit up in a scarlet flash.

“Ooohhh my goodness! Excuse me!” she apologized with her left hand clasped over her mouth.

There was a period of silence in the house before the juvenile giggling of the youngest Son member promptly shattered it. “Nice one, Mom! I didn’t think… that you had… it in you!” her compliments were intersped by fits of laughter.

Videl’s level of embarrassment continued to grow, “T-that was just an accident, sweetie. I didn’t mean to.”

Pan rolled her eyes and gave her an unconvinced smirk, “Not buying it, Mom. Dad told me how much of a tomboy you were back in the day and I bet that you miss that time.”

Videl widened her light blue irises, baffled at how her adolescent daughter managed to back her into a corner like this. Then, she started to think about Pan’s words; about how her ‘tough girl’ days were when she was at her coolest. But that was just a persona, right? An act that she didn’t need to keep up when she met her high school sweetheart. Without that, she felt comfortable sporting a more feminine appearance, like her wedding gown when she married Gohan, or the red dress and black leggings when she attended Bulma’s ‘39th’ birthday party. On the other hand, her feistier attitude did earn her some respect from her former classmates at Orange Star High School, and she still found some amusement when she thought back to the times that she beat various members of the student body in burping contests. Perhaps it would not hurt to relive some of that glory one more time.

“Maybe… you have a point,” Videl admitted.

Pan’s grin grew wider, “Great, because I’ve got an idea for curing our boredom: a burping contest!”

If possible, the Son matriarch’s eyes grew wider still, “Really? Well, what are the stakes?”

Pan tapped a finger on her chin in thought, “If I win, you order as much food as I want, when I want, for the next three months; If you win, I’ll do all of yours and dad’s chores on top of my own for the same time.”

Videl pondered Pan’s proposition. The risk was great, but so was the reward. After a few moments, she reached her decision, “Game on, young lady,” Videl answered with a smirk that matched her daughter’s, finally regaining her uncouth appreciation for the immature art of burping.

“Cool!” Pan’s eyes shone in anticipation, thinking that this would make for a gross, but fun, bonding experience.

Videl pulled out at least eight more cans of soda from the fridge and divided them between herself and Pan. After all, one needed the right ammunition for this kind of thing. Pan reached for her first one and chugged the whole thing in less than a minute! With a smirk, she then thumped her chest and let out a nasty sounding burp that sounded like it came from a hardened trucker. Videl was actually a little proud of her for that. That is, until she remembered she was looking at her competitor. The daughter of Mister Satan figured her turn was up and attempted to copy her daughter's opening move. Unfortunately, she ended up choking on most of the soda and launched into a coughing fit.

“You're losing Mommy,” Pan taunted in a sing-song voice before belching again. This one was ever bigger than the last, being five seconds long!

Videl's eyes narrowed as her competitive fire was beginning to reignite, “I'm not finished yet!” She began chugging her second soda, this time nearly matching her daughter's former pace. Pan was on her second soda as well, though sipping it in a leisurely fashion. It was clear she wasn't worried and this made Videl all the more angry.

Thumping her chest, the daughter of Mr. Satan unleashed her first real belch in the contest. It was decent, though only half as big as Pan's first attempt. Videl scowled, knowing she'd once been able to do much better. Pan responded with another huge belch that won her the bout and began opening her third can. Videl did the same and managed to start off with a belch that surpassed her daughter's previous attempt! The good feeling that came with that was quickly destroyed when Pan unleashed a belch that blew her mother's hair back! Once again, the daughter of Mister Satan felt oddly proud even as she began opening her fourth can. This truly was a bonding experience.

The contest continued on in this way. Videl had actually started to regain some of her old skill but it didn't seem to help. Pan dominated each bout and only grew cockier over time. “Get ready to order Mama, cause I am hungry!” The daughter of Mister Satan only scowled more deeply at this taunt. She refused to let her daughter win. It wasn't just about what losing would cost her either. Now, it was about pride.

But honestly, Videl was getting flustered. She had to admit that her kid was good. Scratch that, Pan was very, very good. As they went through what was now the seventh can for both of them, mother and daughter soon realized that it was almost over. There were only two cans left and one of them would belong to the victor. It was clear from her grin that Pan believed she knew which one it would be. “Ready to give up?”

But Videl refused. If there was anything left over from the Videl of old, it was that. She wondered, not for the first time, just what had happened to that girl? The tomboy who had dominated boy and girl alike in belching contests since she was seven! She even remembered winning a few farting contests in her time. Looking at Pan, she realized that she missed those times. She wanted them back. It was time for her to start thinking like the old Videl again, but how?

After the duo each finished their seventh can, Pan effortlessly belted out another first class burp. Though it was comparatively less powerful than her previous ones, it compensated with an odor that made the matriarch of the Son household go green in the gills. While Videl, with watery eyes, was coughing and trying to fan away the foul fumes, Pan was looking bored. Sure, she was certain that she would be able to pig out on as much food as she wanted to when this was over, which definitely appealed to her Saiyan nature, but there was another thing that her alien instincts craved: a good fight. Her father had gone on about how unladylike and badass her mother was as a youth, so Pan expected at least something resembling a challenge, just to make her victory feel more earned.

However, right now Videl was not proving those stories true at all. In fact, her burps were barely able to get much reaction out of Pan aside from condescending amusement. Either the stories were lies or Videl had simply lost her edge. In any case, Pan found it disappointing, not simply because of the aforementioned lack of challenge, but because she had a lot of respect for mommy dearest. All of the tomboyish tales about Videl, not just of how she shattered gender stereotypes by utterly decimating sexist boys in belching contests, but also of her beating up bullies and leaping into danger to stop criminals. It helped influence Pan into shaping her personality to mimic the mother that she idolized, both as a tomboy and as a hero.

Meanwhile, Videl’s mind raced to find a way to gain an edge over her daughter. Maybe she could use the Dragon Balls to wish for her old personality back. No, that would seem like a waste to use something so powerful to win such a juvenile event. Besides, what would Gohan say about it when he returned home? Nevertheless, if she cannot do that, then how will the daughter of Mister Satan triumph over the gaseous greatness of Pan? Suddenly, she thought back to what her husband said when he taught her how to fly all those years ago.

He said that you have to focus your energy from your stomach, she recalled in her head. Then, she also flashed back to when she heard Gohan say that his mentor, Piccolo, could fire ki blasts from his mouth, Wait a minute. That’s it! Videl breathed deeply and concentrated hard, gulping down air to fuel her belch. She soon felt a spark of ki in her belly and smiled, Alright, she thought, silently thanking Gohan and Piccolo for not teaching Pan telepathy, I’m on the right track, but I should try to limit how much ki I use. Otherwise, Pan will know what I’m up to and just copy me, then, I’ll be screwed.

And so, the metaphysical energy continued to manifest in her stomach, acting like fire boiling water to produce steam as it stirred up more gas than any normal human ever could. When she felt enough build up, Videl proudly forced out the gas using her ki creating a shockwave that blew away Pan’s orange bandana. When it finished, Videl sighed in relief and giggled at the befuddled face of her daughter.

“Wh-what was that?!” Pan exclaimed.

“Well, Honey, I guess I was just a little rusty,” Videl replied, lips curled up into a smirk.

Pan narrowed her eyes in suspicion. She may be somewhat naïve, but she was not stupid. The daughter of Son Gohan found it weird that her mom could just pull out a totally awesome eructation at the eleventh hour after a series of mediocre burps. In addition, Pan could have sworn that she felt a minuscule ember of ki coming from her mother, specifically in her tummy.

Maybe… The quasi-Saiyan pondered for a moment, before dismissing the idea entirely, There’s no way. That’s just ridiculous. She probably just got lucky, that’s all.

Putting the notion aside, Pan opted to pop open her eighth can of soda and began chugging it. Videl soon joined her and in a matter of seconds, both had completely drained their aluminum canisters of their sugary liquid contents. Pan patted her packed paunch playfully, feeling it press up against and peek out under her shirt. It was an expected result given that eight cans worth of delicious carbonated goodness filled that gut of hers, not including the can that she had taken a swig of before the contest officially began. Videl rubbed her own bulging belly, starting to wonder how this competition would affect her figure afterward. However, she pushed that thought out for the moment, instead focusing on the here and now.

“Well, do you want to start the final bout, little lady?” Videl inquired with a smirk.

“Sure, but you’ll regret it, trust me,” Pan replied, matching her mom’s smirk.

Pan proceeded to gobble down as much precious oxygen as possible, making her abdominal area inflate even more so. She held her breath, and after a while, she was starting to become blue in the face, which made Videl frown in worry. The mother was about to ask if her daughter was all right when Pan decided to unleash her outright abominable eructation right in her face. It was by far her greatest/grossest one in the whole competition. Pan’s oral expulsion of air lasted an astounding ten seconds, actually shattering some of the windows, which Pan had a feeling would come out of her allowance even if she won. However, the smell was again in a category of its own, as the guttural belch blast carried a sickly green cloud of gas out of Pan’s mouth. Said gas cloud was composed of an amalgamation of every food and drink that the Pan had devoured over the past week, which to a full blooded human would have been a month’s worth of nourishment.

“How was that, Mom?” Pan giggled smugly after finishing.

“Ohhh…” Videl moaned, wholly discombobulated, “That was so nasty! I think that I’m going to hurl!” she slapped both hands over her mouth to keep herself from doing so.

Pan giggled even louder, savoring her mother’s disgusted demeanor. Eventually, Videl regained her bearings and threw a piercing glare at her daughter, at which Pan only snickered, “I take it that you didn’t like my magnum opus.”

That straw broke the camel’s back, Screw it, Videl thought, I don’t know if it’s the lingering nausea or seething anger, but I’m going to put this brat in her place, no matter what! That’ll knock her arrogance ass down a peg.

Then, she got into a battle stance, her legs spreading out two feet apart and bending at a 90° angle, and closed her eyes. The quarter-Sayian cocked her left eyebrow, confused. “Uh, mom, what are you doing?”

However, Videl closed her eyes, tuned her daughter out, and took deep breaths. Pan frowned at the silence, but widened her eyes as she felt something weird happen in her mother. Once again, the daughter of Mister Satan manifested her ki in her stomach, though now it was much larger, to the point that Pan could clearly sense it.

Huh? Why is there so much ki in her stomach? Unless… Pan thought, until her eyes widened in realization, It’s true! She did do it before and she’s doing it now!

As Pan was trying to process the current situation, Videl pressurized the gas in her stomach by charging up ki in order to increase the power of her burp. Meanwhile, a glow formed in her stomach, the heat of her ki causing her to sweat profusely. After a while, she felt a huge burst of energy finish building up pressure in her belly. This feeling made her smile in anticipation.

“Oh, boy, here it comes,” Videl exclaimed excitedly.

“Here what comes?” her offspring questioned.

Videl ignored Pan and used her energy to channel the gas out of her belly. The glow intensified as it, the ki and the gas traveled up her body before entering her mouth, causing her cheeks to bulge outward and filling Videl’s mouth with a light bright enough to make her puffed out cheeks translucent. Then, she raised her head slightly away from Pan to avoid possibly hurting her and became the first person in history to burp out a blast of energy.

“*buuuUUUrrrrrrRRUUUuuuuuuuUUUCH!*”

Suddenly, her mouth snapped open and she belched out a large yellow ki beam, which rocketed past Videl's lips and barely missed the top of Pan’s head on its trajectory through one of the broken windows. The burp itself echoed throughout the house, shattering the remaining windows, and knocking down several books, expensive plates, and other belongings. The duo looked to see the blast vaporize some nearby trees, both of them gawking at the trail of burnt grass and destroyed foliage.

“Whoa, even I didn't expect that,” Videl admitted with a blush.

Pan turned back to her mom, “That… was… awesome! Let’s keep going! I want to do that too!”

Videl paused for a moment, but then chuckled at the absurdity of the situation, “Ok, but the loser gets punished for six months in lieu of three.”

“Deal!” Pan shouted, her eyes shining with enthusiasm.

Both remembered their unfinished cans of soda and grabbed them for the true final bout. They were going to need it!

Once the beverages had been consumed, the empty aluminum husk that previously held them were discarded and Pan began the final bout by pausing to focus her ki then:

“*BRRRRrrrRRRRRUUUUUuuuuUOOOOOOOoo-oooooOOOOOOOrrrp!!*”

A big energy blast shot from her mouth, twice the width of her mother's effort, though it only did a little more damage to the house by burning a few extra holes in the walls.

Videl applauded politely, then sucked in and:

“*beeeeeeEEEEEELLLLllllLLRRRRRrrroooOOOOOaaAAAAARRRRrrrrrRRRRP!!!*”

She not only managed to outdo her daughter, but shot out a stream of ki balls from her mouth in rapid succession. Pan was forced to jump on top of her chair in dodge in a rather comedic fashion. Videl laughed out loud at this when she was finished and an evil gleam suddenly entered her eye. Turning her gaze towards the ceiling, she forced out a small burp that resulted in a single ball of ki knocking some debris onto Pan's head, the quarter-Saiyan scowling in response.

“Okay Mama, you've had it!

*BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRP AAAAATTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKKKKK!!!!*”

Videl's eyes widened as her daughter unleashed a huge belch that contained a variation of one of Vegeta's most powerful moves. It packed enough force to blow her through the wall of her home and leave her smoking on the already slightly scorched lawn. Pan laughed at the sight and began jumping up and down in an absurd little victory dance.

“Yes! I win! HAHAHAHA, I am the best!” This bratty sing-song voice awoke something in Videl and she slowly pulled herself to her feet, her eyes ablaze with fury. Pan watched with a mix of confusion and concern as her mother assumed a basic power-up stance and began speaking in grunts, as though she were on the verge of transforming into some new kind of super form. In fact, it wouldn't have surprised Pan at all if that were the case.

Little did the young girl know that during all this, her mother was reliving her past, watching various images of her rough and tumble self flash and the victories she'd achieved flash before her eyes. Everything from belching contests to looking best in a bikini passed her by. They were soon replaced by new images of Pan besting her younger self in all these same events. Other scenes were also included such as a rice eating contest and a farting contest. Every last one filled the Videl of the present with even more rage.

“No! I… Will… Not… lose… to a… little… girl! Even if she is my own daughter!” Pan watched in amazement as her mother's slightly higher than average power level suddenly skyrocketed, her aura blazing to life around her. Videl then bellowed, “Ka… Me… Ha… Me…

*HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRP!!!!!*”

The mightiest belch under the heavens, contained within the signature technique of both the Kame House and the overall Son Family, shot from Videl's mouth. It zeroed in on a horrified Pan and created a great explosion that destroyed the entire house! Pan lay amidst the rubble, somehow only dazed, “You win, Mommy.”

“Oh yeah!” Videl cried out in a rather good impression of her father, “I win! I'm number—oh crap!” The daughter of Mister Satan looked upon what was left of her home and decided to let Pan off the hook: she would need all the help she could get in order to collect the Dragon Balls and restore everything before Gohan got back!

#My Story #Sfw #Collaboration #Muse: Son Videl #Dragon Ball #Son Pan #Belching #Belching Contest #Burping Contest #Non-Vore

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havekiddoswilltravel · 7 years ago

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Road Trip to the New Bedford Whaling Museum

Interactive Learning Opportunity that Incorporates Science, History, Art and Culture.

Our family thoroughly enjoyed an afternoon at the New Bedford Whaling Museum and were ecstatic that they provided us with complimentary admission to the museum. We had driven past the museum signs during our annual trips to Martha’s Vineyard and giving that my husband’s family is of Cape Verdean decent, I had this museum on our family bucket list for years. Well, we finally made it and it more than exceeded our expectations.

Our time in New Bedford started with lunch at The Moby Dick Brewing Co., which is located one block from the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The service was prompt and they had a kid’s coloring sheet and kid’s menus which allowed for us to have a relaxing experience.

The meal came with an option of fruit which is great for kids like mine who don’t like potatoes.

You can still see the oil on the skeleton of the blue whale which is hanging in the main exhibit area. Check out the picture below for an image of the flask that is slowing collecting the oil that is dripping from the skeleton. Can you say way cool?

Sperm whale skeleton.

Reading about the history of whaling as they looked for their eye spy items.

Pre Visit Resources that will Compliment your Experience.

The Discovery Center offers a really cool opportunity for hands on learning and you won’t want to miss it during your visit with children.

The family guide to the New Bedford Whaling Museum is a great resource for families.

The museum offers this educational pre and post visit activities. My kids got a lot of the activities and they were a great compliment to the time spent at the museum.

Check out this video in preparation for your visit. Your kids will be enthusiastic about the trip.

Whaling Museum Admission

Members

FREE

Adult

$17

Senior (65+)

$15

Students (19+)

$10

Child & Youth

Children aged 3 and under are FREE

Tickets include admission to the Mariners’ Home.

Suggested Reading List for Teachers, Grades K-8 -, From the museum website and added here for easy access.

Grades K-3

Loud Emily by Alexis O’Neill From School Library Journal “PreSchool-Grade 2 – Set in a 19th-century New England whaling town, this picture book champions the cause of loud children and the resourcefulness of little girls. When Emily is born, her booming “GOO GOO BA BA” startles the midwife and frightens away the birds. As she grows older, she grows louder. Rather than be carted off to Miss Meekmeister’s School for Soft-Spoken Girls, Emily gets herself a job calling orders on a whaling ship. This is just the place for the boisterous child, and she blasts commands to the crew and even saves the ship during a storm. In the satisfying conclusion, Emily returns to live with her family, but this time in a lighthouse where she warns passing vessels of dangerous rocks. “And nobody there in that house by the sea ever complains of the noise.” The oil paintings are styled after 19th-century folk art and successfully pull the story together. Much of the text is set against embroidery cloth, giving the book a charming, homespun look. The endpapers provide the words for several sea chanteys, along with scrimshaw-style illustrations that show Emily, her mouth open wide, hard at work with the sailors. A rollicking tale with a likable heroine that attests to the irrepressible nature of children.” –Christy Norris Blanchette, Valley Cottage Library, NY Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Peggony-Po by Andrea Davis Pinkney From School Library Journal “Kindergarten-Grade 4–Told with humor and verve, this rollicking tall tale is about a wooden boy named Peggony-Po who promises to catch the monster whale that bit off his daddy’s leg: after all, he caught his first whale when he was only four years old. When he goes off to capture Cetus, he eschews having a boat: a masterful illustration shows him riding a wave as he chases the whale, who ingeniously exudes attitude. Cetus rams through a school of fish, so Peggony-Po did underwater cartwheels to keep those fish from crying. He never slowed down. As Peggony-Po rides Cetus from tropical waters to icy coasts, he crows, What a way to see the world! Richly descriptive similes–as feisty as a kettle of just-caught fish and Like a pressing iron flattening a shirtsleeve–and phrases such as He [Cetus] loved to smash boats with a single slam of his tail convey dynamically both the absurdity and thrilling adventure of this story, and the illustrations brim with activity and energy. Peggony-Po dances a jig from the lookout mast, he becomes alive and starts talking to his father as he is sculpted, and Cetus blows boats into the sky and rails off a fence. Every library will want to buy at least one copy of this exuberant story that begins with a whale, ends with a whale, and has a whole lot of whale in its middle.” –Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma Library, CA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Baby Whales Drink Milk by Barbara Juster Esbensen From School Library Journal “PreSchool-K-This series entry discusses the ways whales differ from fish, resemble humans, and the features that make them unique creatures of the sea. Using a picture-book format with rather clunky paintings, the simple text introduces children to the common aspects of all warm-blooded mammals. Esbensen focuses on the humpback whale and compares it to cats, dogs, horses, pigs, and humans to establish their commonalities. The humpback life cycle is described and illustrated, a cut-away drawing of a museum display shows a glimpse of blubber and internal organs, and a world map shows where these mammals live in winter and summer. A few other species are mentioned, and contacts for whale-watching tours are listed.” –Frances E. Millhouser, Reston Regional Library, VA Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A Whale of a Tale! by Bonnie Worth “Onboard a vessel that would make Jacques Cousteau green with envy, the Cat and Co. take to the high seas in search of whales, dolphins, and porpoises—those aquatic mammals known as cetaceans. While learning how cetaceans stay warm without hair, have teeth or baleen, swim in troops, spyhop, spin, breach, and see via ecolocation, kids are introduced to almost 20 different species—including sperm, right, humpback, and blue whales; Gulf, spectacled, and finless porpoise; and boto, common, hourglass, and bottlenose dolphins. A shipshape selection for summer reading!”

“The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library shows young readers that books can be entertaining and educational at the same time. This is a wonderful series!” —Barbara Kiefer, Ph.D., Charlotte S. Huck Professor of Children’s Literature, Ohio State University

The Snow Whale by Caroline Pitcher “One frosty morning when the hills are humpbacked with snow, Laurie and Leo decide to build a snow whale. As they shovel and dig and pat and polish to bring it out of the hill, the whale graudally takes on a life of its own. Caroline Pitcher is the author of The Sue Tribe and On the Wire.”

Who’s in the Sea? by Charles Reasoner “A humorous and informative text is presented in a question-and-answer format, posing such brain ticklers as “Who has a long nose and jumps high above the waves?” and hiding the surprise answers behind sliding panels.”

Sydney and the Whalebird by David Elliot “Sydney’s latest invention has caused Bill the whale to get stuck in a large hole on the beach. The other animals try to rescue him but nothing seems to work until Sydney has an idea!Sydney builds a hot air balloon that he attaches to Bill. Bill then blows the balloon full of air and Sydney, Bill and the balloon shoot up high into the air. Alas – too high! But Sydney comes to the rescue yet again and the whalebird finally crashes – safely – into the sea. SYDNEY AND THE WHALEBIRD is similar to SYDNEY AND THE SEA MONSTER in its inventiveness and creativity.”

Little Whale’s Song by Fran Evans “This story takes place on the ocean floor where Little Whale is so busy playing with the fish that he doesn’t notice his family swim away without him. When he tries to call out after them, he realises that he has forgotten how to sing! And so each page sees Little Whale encounter a different creature and ask that they teach him how to sing. But Little Whale cannot squeak like the Dolphin, hum like the Lobster or honk like the Seal and the Octopus and Turtle provide little inspiration either. It is only when he meets the wise old Manatee that he is advised to listen to his own voice and make a sound all of his own. It is with this fable- like ending that sad Little Whale lets out a loud sing-song sigh that brings his family swimming back for a joyous reunion. A delicate, if rather unoriginal story, which is likely to appeal to small children and would be a good choice for reading aloud given the use of the animal sounds throughout.” –Rachel Burke, Inis #5

The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson From School Library Journal “PreSchool-Grade 3–A tiny mollusk that longs to see the world hitches a ride aboard a humpback whale in this charming picture book. After seeing far-off islands, underwater caves, and storm-filled skies, the snail feels impossibly small–until the whale is beached in a harbor, and she saves the day by writing a note on the blackboard of a nearby school to summon help. The message that even the smallest among us can help others will not be lost on children, and neither will the poetic language: “A humpback whale, immensely long,/Who sang to the snail a wonderful song/Of shimmering ice and coral caves/And shooting stars and enormous waves.” Donaldson’s smooth, sprightly rhyming scheme buoys the story and never falters. The flat, cartoonish look of Scheffler’s multimedia illustrations perfectly complements the tone of the text. The rollicking language and bright pictures make this a great choice for reading aloud.” –Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Maryland School for the Deaf, Columbia Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

*Arthur Bennett, who portrays Abraham Lincoln at the Whaling Museum’s annual Presidents’ Day Birthday Bash, enjoys reading this book every year at the event for its imagery, rhymes, and message of cooperation and the idea that even the smallest person can make the biggest difference.

Peg and the Whale by Kenneth Oppel From School Library Journal ”Kindergarten-Grade 3-Peg was born on her parents’ fishing boat and grew up hauling sheets, pulling lines, and gutting fish. Now that she is almost seven and has already caught just about everything that lives in the sea, she decides to set her sights a bit higher and signs onto a whaling ship. A few days later, she hooks her prey, but the jealous first mate cuts the rope holding her to the mast and she is taken for a ride by the angry creature. Peg is never fazed, however, and as she flies through the air behind the huge animal, she thinks, “Just as well-That old ship was only slowing me down.” The whale swallows her whole and Peg makes herself at home in its stomach, using driftwood to build a ladder to its blowhole. When she finally returns home, she is ready for a new kind of challenge-mountain climbing. This outrageous story never misses a beat, and the feisty, redheaded Peg is in a league with other modern tall-tale heroines such as Anne Isaacs’s Swamp Angel (Dutton, 1994) and the star of Diane Stanley’s Saving Sweetness (Putnam, 1996). Done in acrylic on paper, Widener’s paintings have a bright quality and bits of exaggerated humor that suit the larger-than-life tale. A whale of an adventure story with a thoroughly likable heroine.” –Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, Eldersburg, MD Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Rainbow Fish and the Big Blue Whale by Marcus Pfister From School Library Journal “PreSchool-Grade 1–The winsome and sensible fish who stole preschoolers’ hearts in Rainbow Fish (1992) and Rainbow Fish to the Rescue (1995, both North-South) has returned. In this story, Rainbow Fish and his friends must share their food and their space with a gentle old whale who comes to their reef. The fish with the jagged scales complains that the blue whale is watching them, and soon everyone views the large mammal as an enemy. After a skirmish in which the whale scares all of the little fish into a cave, Rainbow Fish realizes that it is up to him to approach the larger animal and make peace. A heart-to-heart talk between the two reveals that the whale watched the fish only because he admired their beauty. Indeed, the holographic silver foil applied to the fins and scales of these expressive and colorfully illustrated fish is eye-catching. The glittering watercolor artwork of this book has the same child appeal of its popular predecessors. However, the story is thin, possessing more adjectives than action. Its moral theme of tolerance and communication, while admirable, can be found in at least a dozen better books. This one is for those already enamored of Rainbow Fish. It is not likely to win new fans.” –Jackie Hechtkopf, Talent House School, Fairfax, VA Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A Garden of Whales by Maggie Steincrohn Davis

“Last night in my tub, in my tub while I scrubbed, I dreamed that I lived in the sea with the Whales. Magnificent Whales. Mysterious Whales. Mystical, Musical, Mountainous Whales.

The narrator of this tale is a boy who knows that whales are magnificent but endangered creatures. He wants to do anything he can to save them, and as he scrubs in his bathtub, he dreams up a plan to save the whales. Children from all over the world also get in their bathtubs to save the whales, planting a garden of whales. He knows this is a fantasy, but the dreams of children are the roots of action.”

Big Blue Whale by Nicola Davies “This is a terrific, fact-filled book that teachers young students about a blue whale: it’s diet, general anatomy, migration, size compared to other animals, and more. The text is detailed and easy to understand, and the illustrations are very helpful when explaining any physical or behavioral feature of the whale. We use this book often in our programs.

‘Reach out and touch the blue whale’s skin. It’s springy and smooth like a hard-boiled egg, and it’s as slippery as wet soap. Look into its eye. It’s as big as a teacup and as dark as the deep sea. Just behind the eye is a hole as small as the end of a pencil. The hole is one of the blue whale’s ears – sticking-out ears would get in the way when the whale is swimming.'”

-Brian Witkowski, New Bedford Whaling Museum

A Little Whale Tale by Sam McKendry “Hardcover book with a 6×6 inch water-filled pouch on cover with movable fish and sand. This undersea tale about a whale who becomes lost and then, happily, finds his way home, introduces young readers to the colorful creatures who live in the ocean. Richly illustrated and written in rhyming verse, you’ll find this required bedtime reading on a nightly basis!”

Dear Mr. Blueberry by Simon James From School Library Journal “PreSchool–Grade 1 – It is summer, and Emily discovers that a whale is living in the pond in her yard. Eager to learn more about this amazing animal, she writes a series of letters to her teacher, Mr. Blueberry, asking for information about whales and their habits. The humor of the situation lies in Mr. Blueberry’s replies. He sends Emily some details, but he is also quite adamant that whatever is in her pond is not a whale since they live in salt water. Nevertheless, both Emily and readers know that indeed there is a whale in the pond, and the proof is the amusing, full-page watercolor cartoons. Emily shares her letters with the whale, who, after hearing about his species’ migratory habits, leaves the pond to return to the ocean. (How he does this is not explained.) At first, Emily is saddened at her loss, but a chance meeting with Arthur on the beach gives her the opportunity to say goodbye. This story is a nice blend of fantasy and reality with a smattering of facts. The large print and simple vocabulary make it appropriate for beginning readers.” –Laura Culberg, Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Freddi Fish a Whale of a Tale by Scott Nickel Wally the Whale is stuck on the beach, and boy can he blubber! Freddi and her friends must pull together to rescue their friend and get him back in the water.

Amos & Boris by William Steig “Amos the mouse and Boris the whale: a devoted pair of friends with nothing at all in common, except good hearts and a willingness to help their fellow mammal. They meet after Amos sets out to sail the sea and finds himself in extreme need of rescue. And there will come a day, long after Boris has gone back to a life at sea and Amos has gone back to life on dry land, when the tiny mouse must find a way to rescue the great whale.”

Amos & Boris is a 1971 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year, Notable Children’s Book of the Year, and Outstanding Book of the Year.

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Grades 3-5

Moby Dick by Allan Drummond Grades 2-4–“In this full-color picture-book adaptation of the classic, Allan Drummond pays homage to one of the greatest sea stories ever told. Staying as true to Herman Melville’s language as possible, and taking Ishmael as his narrator, Drummond tells of the adventure of Captain Ahab’s relentless quest for revenge.”

Tangled in the Bay by Deborah Tobin “Based on a true experience, this is the story of a right whale, Clio, and her newborn calf, Pasha, who arrive during the short northern summer, in the rich, cold waters of the Bay of Fundy to feed and replace stores of fat. With fewer than 350 North Atlantic right whales in existence, mother and baby whale are being tracked by a research team studying their habitat and inter-relationships. While monitoring whales on a routine fly-over, a researcher notices one whale tangled in some fishing gear. Baby Pasha is trapped in nets! Quickly, an international team of researchers and conservationists comes together to try and disentangle the animal and save its life. This wonderful story is beautifully illustrated by Jeffrey C. Domm who has illustrated a number of bestselling books.”

You wouldn’t want to sail on a 19th century Whaling Ship! by Peter Cook “Fits in well with social studies and U.S. history curricula. – Draws in even the most reluctant reader with a lighthearted tone and hilarious illustrations. – Includes glossary and index. – Excellent tie-in to literature, as the tale of the Essex inspired Herman Melville’s classic book, Moby Dick. National Social Studies Education Standards: Grades K-4 II. Time, Continuity, and Change – Accounts of past events, people, places, and situations contribute to our understanding of the past I. Culture – People, societies, and cultures address needs and concerns in ways that are both similar and different.

The Scrimshaw Ring by William Jaspersohn From School Library Journal “Grade 2-5 – On a coastal farm in Newport, RI, in 1710, William’s days are filled with a great deal of idyllic play and very little work. However, one fateful day, his parents leave him in the care of the family cook and his “peaceable kingdom” is disturbed by the arrival of a ship manned by “rough, wild, fearsome men with filthy hair, faded clothes, curved pistols and sharp cutlasses.” Deserted by the terrified cook, William witnesses the murder of the ship’s captain and the theft of his parents’ livestock. Finally, he is discovered by a member of the crew who “did something remarkable.” Instead of harming the boy, the murderous mutineer removes a ring from his finger and places it in the boy’s hand. William’s parents return to find him safe but frightened and amazed by the afternoon’s events. He learns that “The world is a beautiful place,” “But, in truth, sometimes it is dangerous.” Oil paintings clearly tell the tale, but the characters’ facial features are often indistinct or exaggerated. Notes indicate that this account is based on a true story and discuss the significance of family heirlooms. Suggestions encourage readers to seek their own family stories and treasured objects. A utilitarian addition for most collections.” –Alicia Eames, New York City Public Schools Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Grades 6-8

Revenge of the Whale: The True Story of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick From scholastic.com – On November 20, 1820, the whaleship “Essex” was rammed and sunk by an angry whale. Within minutes, the twenty-one-man crew, including the fourteen-year-old cabin boy Thomas Nickerson, found themselves stranded in three leaky boats in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with barely any supplies and little hope. Three months later, two of the boats were rescued 4,500 miles away, off the coast of South America. Of the twenty-one castaways, only eight survived, including young Thomas. Based on his “New York Times” best-seller “In the Heart of the Sea,” Nathaniel Philbrick recreates the amazing events of the ill-fated “Essex” through the sailors’ own first-hand accounts, photos, maps, and artwork, and tells the tale of one of the great true-life adventure stories.

Ship of Fire by Michael Cadnum From Booklist – “Gr. 6-8. In a tale that will make readers truly appreciate the state of modern medicine, a teenage apprentice surgeon sails with Sir Francis Drake on a pre-Spanish Armada strike against Spanish shipping at Cadiz. Fresh from a bear-baiting, Thomas Spyre and his learned master William Perrivale suddenly find themselves hustled aboard the Elizabeth Bonaventure, Drake’s flagship, to replace a surgeon stricken with syphilis. Though well versed in the latest medical techniques, from anesthesiology (a mallet to the head) to bloodletting by leech or lancet, Thomas feels at sea in more ways than one after Perrivale is killed by an exploding cannon. Still, he rises to the occasion, and after broadsides, melees, and a nearly disastrous brush with a blazing ship, he survives his greatest test–his first major amputation. Thomas’ narrative cuts off (so to speak) rather abruptly, but Cadnum still adds to his reputation for rousing historical adventures set against gruesomely naturalistic backdrops.” –John Peters Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Black Hands, White Sails by Patricia C. McKissack From Library Journal Grade 6-9-A well-researched and detailed book chronicling the contributions of African Americans to the whaling industry. Many were drawn to jobs on whaling ships throughout the 1600-1800s, for while conditions were difficult, they were preferable to slavery. The authors go to great lengths to draw out the roles of African Americans, and while many of these connections are eye-opening, they are sometimes tenuous. The first half of the book, an introduction to the whales and the business surrounding their hunting, features significant men such as Prince Boston and Paul Cuffe, but also some who were less directly involved. Frederick Douglass did briefly work as a ship’s caulker but many pages are devoted to describing aspects of his life that are irrelevant to whaling. Midway, the emphasis shifts to interesting aspects of life aboard ship, explaining phrases we use today that derive from whalers, superstitions of the seas, sailing songs and shanties, the story of the famous Essex, and the role of whalers in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. While the story becomes much more engaging at this point, the role of African Americans seems to have diminished importance as race is only occasionally mentioned. Overall, though, as an important and under-explored aspect of both African-American and nautical history, this book merits a place on the shelves in larger libraries and in African-American collections. However, for a more fascinating look at whaling, and one that integrates the African-American story along with the many other participants, look to Jim Murphy’s Gone A-Whaling (Clarion, 1998). –Andrew Medlar, Chicago Public Library, IL Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The Whale People by Roderick Langmere Haig-Brown “Beloved BC author Roderick Haig-Brown was at the height of his creative powers when he crafted this coming-of-age story set in an aboriginal whaling village on the West Coast. In The Whale People, young Atlin must one day succeed his father Nit-gass, a great whaling chief of the Hotsath people. The boy trains for his role with the mixture of yearning and apprehension experienced by every youth racing toward adulthood – except that in Atlin’s case, his whole community is depending on his success. With lean, sure-footed prose, Haig-Brown captures the tangled emotions of adolescence, and in the process conveys a vivid portrait of pre-Columbian life on the West Coast. Never preachy or condescending, The Whale People is richly furnished with the material and spiritual mainstays of its characters: canoes, harpoons, animals and “tumanos,” the personal magic a great whaler and leader must possess. “Timeless” is a term too freely bandied about, but seldom has a story so deftly married the moment with the millennia. Written 40 years ago – it was named Book of the Year for Children by the Canadian Library Association in 1964 – it could be set 400 years ago, yet there is not one quaint or dated sentence in it.”

The Young Man and the Sea by Rodman Philbrick From School Library Journal “Grade 5-8 – A 12-year-old protagonist replaces Ernest Hemingway’s elderly Santiago in this takeoff on the classic novelette, set this time in coastal Maine. Skiff has lost his mother and, since her death, his father, once a hardworking fisherman locally known for his skills with a harpoon, has sunken into such deep, beer-soaked despair that his son can’t seem to rouse him off the couch. As Skiff tries to single-handedly stem the rising tide of slovenly decay threatening to swamp what’s left of his family, he also must contend with Tyler Croft, a bullying rich kid who sabotages his efforts to get ahead. Things seem entirely hopeless until the day he sees a giant tuna hauled in from offshore and sold for a large sum as a source for premium sushi. The fish literally and symbolically embodies all of Skiff’s ambitions for a better life, and he decides to try to catch one using just a 10-foot plywood boat and a harpoon created by his father. As in The Old Man and the Sea, the ensuing adventure is told through an inner dialogue, one in which Skiff sometimes imagines he is speaking to his mother. This excellent maritime bildungsroman has all of the makings of a juvenile classic: wide-open adventure, heart-pounding suspense, and just the right amount of tear-jerking pathos, all neatly wrapped up in an ending that–unlike its namesake’s–is purely triumphant. A great read-aloud, a natural for classroom use, and a must-have for all collections.” –Jeffrey Hastings, Highlander Way Middle School, Howell, MI Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Whalesinger by Welwyn Wilton Katz From School Library Journal “Grade 8 Up – In a sturdy framework of the ecology and geology of Point Reyes and Drake’s Bay, Katz threads an intricate warp that features a group of scientists engaged in research, a historical occurrence on Drake’s ship, the migration pattern of the gray whale, and an impending earthquake and accompanying tsunami. Over and under this she weaves a complex pattern of science, personalities, a lost treasure, and a whale mother with an ailing baby. Nick, 17, is not yet over the death of his loved older brother. Marty, 16, has learning difficulties, but an innate empathy that appeals to Nick, and that allows her to communicate with the whale mother. Pembroke, the science-villain, seeks a treasure on a ship scuttled by Drake, indifferent to any ethical dilemmas involved. A lot goes on here, including a first-rate introduction to scientific methods. Clearly depicted are the strange behaviors often observed in animals just prior to a major earthquake, including the coupling of Nick and Marty (safe sex is practiced). Some readers might find Nick’s response to Marty’s confusion afterwards extremely simplistic (“. . . But with you . . . it was beautiful. . .”). Have we heard that line before? While strands of the plot go slightly awry, and the development of some of the characters is contrived, the book is substantial enough to keep readers going. The final apocalyptic scenes outweigh some of the more lurid ones of the sunken ship and its long-buried cargo. The major characters, although battered, come through alive, and perhaps more whole to face their future. Intriguing.” –Patricia Manning, Eastchester Public Library, NY Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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