#853 of 1001 · December 1, 2022

Do things ever seem like they’ve just gone completely wrong and it’s all your fault? It can be hard to remember that moments like this happen to everyone, and harder still to look ahead and recognize that the situation can likely be fixed. It’s all too easy to feel alone, trapped, utterly miserable. Fortunately, there is always @ioana.hobai’s A Whale of a Mistake to guide us through our times of trouble. This inventive and socially insightful book is structured as a second-person narrative, confronting readers with the stark reality of their own human limitations. Meanwhile, the illustrations complement the text with images of a child being unceremoniously whisked out to sea by an enormous whale, an apt visual metaphor for the perceived immensity of a single, glaring blunder. Ultimately, the young protagonist learns to accept the ubiquity and transience of mistakes and bids the whale, now manageably small, a fond farewell. Hobai’s sensitive writing and glowing, jewel-toned art (a combination of ink, watercolor, and acrylic) provide a sober yet uplifting modern allegory. #whale #child #mistakes #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcover #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #classicchildrensbooks #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks