When Cosmos the baby humpback whale learns about the creatures that live in the world, he wants to see some of them for himself. He sets off on an adventure to the South Pole to find polar bears and penguins. His whale friends try to warn him that he is making a big mistake, but Cosmos is so excited about his plans that he won't stop to listen.
Follow the brave baby humpback as he meets a huge turtle, swims into the arms of a giant squid, watches penguins at play, and rescues a baby polar bear from being swept out to sea.
Aimed at the five-to-nine-years age group, Cosmos the Curious Whale is the third of Gail Clarke's books for children. Fully illustrated on every page, children love to explore the pictures while the book is being read to them. For young readers, the font size is large enough for them to follow easily.
Since 2010, Gail has been presenting her books to children in schools in many parts of the world. She is assisted in her readings by Patrick and Great-Grandpa Gilbert glove puppets, along with Cosmos the Curious Whale and others from her animal menagerie. Some 35,000 children in Hong Kong, Phuket, Bangkok, Dubai, Kenya, Sri Lanka and England have now enjoyed learning about animal migration, writing and illustrating, and of course hearing Gail's stories. During 2013, when Gail was still writing Cosmos the Curious Whale, she invited children in the various schools she was visiting to draw fish to be included in the Cosmos story. She was thrilled to receive over 450 beautiful coloured drawings that she was able to include in the book.
Clarke, Gail: - Gail Clarke is a retired primary school teacher with over 35 years of teaching children. Originally from Northern Ireland, Gail trained as a teacher at Queen's University, Belfast. Following a move to Hong Kong, she then taught at the German Swiss International School for 27 years, retiring as deputy head of the international primary department. In 2004, Gail moved with her husband, the author David Clarke, to Tuscany, Italy. This 'migration' set her thinking about animals that cover huge distances every year. This led to her first illustrated children's book, Patrick's Birthday Message about a parrot in central Africa who wants to send a message to a relative thousands of miles away? Perhaps he could ask for help from the migrating animals. On her writing 'journey' Gail learned many amazing facts about animals which were the inspiration for her second and third books Searching for Skye and Cosmos the Curious Whale. As well as writing, illustrating and publishing her books, Gail enjoys visiting schools, talking to children, and sharing her stories with them. She now lives in England, Italy and Phuket, Thailand, but most years she and her husband also travel to Hong Kong and Kenya to see their family of four children and six grandchildren. Everywhere she goes, Gail spends time visiting schools, whether they are huge international schools with hundreds of children in Hong Kong, Phuket, Bangkok and Sri Lanka, or tiny village schools in Kenya and England. Her presentations to children are assisted by puppets of Patrick the parrot and his great-grandpa Gilbert, Cosmos the whale and various other animals from her stories. Gail has now written and illustrated seven books for children. Learn more about her at her website: www.gailclarkeauthor.com
