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    Whale, That Was Unexpected

    Author Casey Lyall On Tour
    Illustrated by Kathryn Durst On Tour
    Ebook
    Tundra Book Group | Tundra Books
    On sale Jun 30, 2026 | 40 Pages | 9781774883624
    Preschool - 2
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    A classic but contemporary tale for 3-to-7-year-olds featuring a hilariously grumpy seafarer and her trusty dog sidekick who get swallowed by a whale. For fans of Caldecott Honor books Bear Came Along and Leave Me Alone.

    Stoic seafarer Maude and her canine sidekick Claude head out to fish as they have done every day for many years. But this time, something unexpected happens. (Maude hates it when something unexpected happens.)

    They get swallowed by a whale. What does one do when one is swallowed by a whale? Throw a farewell party, I guess. (Maude loves a good party.)

    Hilarity ensues as more and more creatures get swallowed and Maude has to keep changing her party plans. (Maude does not love crowds.)

    Will Maude and the whale part ways, or is this the end? (Maude would prefer it if we could hurry this up.)

    Okay, okay. Read on to find out.
    CASEY LYALL lives in Southwestern Ontario where she also works at her local library (and waits for management to discover they're actually paying her to have fun). When she's not writing, Casey loves to bake, doodle and learn extremely groan-worthy jokes to tell her friends. Casey is the author of Vampire Jam Sandwhich, A Spoonful of Frogs, Gnome Is Where the Heart Is and the humorous middle-grade mystery series Howard Wallace, P.I. View titles by Casey Lyall
    KATHRYN DURST is a graduate of Sheridan College in Ontario, Canada. She has a background in animation, having interned with Pixar Animation Studios. Kathryn has illustrated numerous children's books, including You're In Good Paws, the Polite Predators books and the #1 New York Times bestseller from Paul McCartney, Hey Grandude! When she is not illustrating books, she can be found playing the accordion, growing vegetables, folk dancing or putting on shadow puppet shows. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her grumpy mini dachshund named Chili Dog. View titles by Kathryn Durst
    "Whale, That Was Unexpected is a seriously fun picture book collaboration between author Casey Lyall and illustrator Kathryn Durst. . . . Lyall's spirited text. . . . and the intricate art give this story a plethora of potential to become a story-time favorite." —STARRED REVIEW, Shelf Awareness

    "Stand aside, Pinocchio. There’s new whale bait in town, and she’s got her own kind of flair." —Kirkus Reviews

    "Art and text work delightfully together, each expanding the other, to create a sea story with attitude well suited for a lively read-aloud." —The Horn Book

    About

    A classic but contemporary tale for 3-to-7-year-olds featuring a hilariously grumpy seafarer and her trusty dog sidekick who get swallowed by a whale. For fans of Caldecott Honor books Bear Came Along and Leave Me Alone.

    Stoic seafarer Maude and her canine sidekick Claude head out to fish as they have done every day for many years. But this time, something unexpected happens. (Maude hates it when something unexpected happens.)

    They get swallowed by a whale. What does one do when one is swallowed by a whale? Throw a farewell party, I guess. (Maude loves a good party.)

    Hilarity ensues as more and more creatures get swallowed and Maude has to keep changing her party plans. (Maude does not love crowds.)

    Will Maude and the whale part ways, or is this the end? (Maude would prefer it if we could hurry this up.)

    Okay, okay. Read on to find out.

    Author

    CASEY LYALL lives in Southwestern Ontario where she also works at her local library (and waits for management to discover they're actually paying her to have fun). When she's not writing, Casey loves to bake, doodle and learn extremely groan-worthy jokes to tell her friends. Casey is the author of Vampire Jam Sandwhich, A Spoonful of Frogs, Gnome Is Where the Heart Is and the humorous middle-grade mystery series Howard Wallace, P.I. View titles by Casey Lyall
    KATHRYN DURST is a graduate of Sheridan College in Ontario, Canada. She has a background in animation, having interned with Pixar Animation Studios. Kathryn has illustrated numerous children's books, including You're In Good Paws, the Polite Predators books and the #1 New York Times bestseller from Paul McCartney, Hey Grandude! When she is not illustrating books, she can be found playing the accordion, growing vegetables, folk dancing or putting on shadow puppet shows. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her grumpy mini dachshund named Chili Dog. View titles by Kathryn Durst

    Praise

    "Whale, That Was Unexpected is a seriously fun picture book collaboration between author Casey Lyall and illustrator Kathryn Durst. . . . Lyall's spirited text. . . . and the intricate art give this story a plethora of potential to become a story-time favorite." —STARRED REVIEW, Shelf Awareness

    "Stand aside, Pinocchio. There’s new whale bait in town, and she’s got her own kind of flair." —Kirkus Reviews

    "Art and text work delightfully together, each expanding the other, to create a sea story with attitude well suited for a lively read-aloud." —The Horn Book

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