The Boy Who Met a Whale by Nizrana Farook || MG Adventure Set in Sri Lanka

The Boy Who Met a Whale

From the author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant comes another brilliant escapade. A thrilling adventure set in fictional Sri Lanka, jam-packed with peril and kidnap and a huge blue whale!

Razi, a local fisherboy, is watching turtle eggs hatch when he sees a boat bobbing into view. With a chill, he notices a small, still hand hanging over the side… Inside is Zheng, who’s escaped a shipwreck and is full of tales of sea monsters and missing treasure. But the villains who are after Zheng are soon after Razi and his sister, Shifa, too. And so begins an exhilarating adventure in the shadow of the biggest sea monster of them all…

Content Tags:

Perfect for readers who want:

• Books set in unique locals (like Sri Lanka!).
• Fast-paced adventures with lots of action.
• A protagonist dealing with PTSD and grief.
• Animals, like whales and turtles!
• Heartwarming developing friendships.
• Treasure hunting and boats.

Many thanks to Peachtree Publishing and Rockstar Book Tours for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Quotes taken from an unfinished product and may differ from the final book.

I had heard so much about The Girl Who Stole an Elephant and hadn’t read it yet, so I thought the release of its accompanying novel would be a perfect excuse! I read the books back-to-back, though that wasn’t necessary. Both stand on their own just fine (though there are some Easter eggs from the first book in this one). Still, this was a quick, enjoyable read, and it didn’t disappoint!

The Boy Who Met a Whale is a fast-paced middle grade adventure set in Sri Lanka, where a young fisherboy has to overcome his fear and guilt to help the mysterious boy who washed up on his shore.

I’m going to give this book four stars myself, but . . . what even are stars? Pffft. I’m an adult and have adult issues with this book . The target audience, though? I think this would easily be a five-star read for middle grade readers, and one I definitely plan on recommending to young patrons!

Razi makes for a really interesting protagonist, with worries I think readers of any age will easily relate to.

Most prominently, Razi lost his father several months ago, and he hasn’t quite processed his grief. Despite being a fisherboy, Razi is afraid to go out on the water. He cares very much for his mother and sister, and feels he should be doing something to support them, but he can’t quite bring himself to get back on the ocean after losing his father to it.

Oh, and then there’s the matter of him stumbling on this mysterious boy named Zheng who washed ashore claiming that the boat he was working on sank. Moreover, there are two men after him who are more than a little violent and seem like they’ll stop at nothing to get what they want. Razi has a choice between doing the safe thing or the right thing, even if it means putting himself in danger. Thankfully for us, he chooses one that leads to adventure!

Zheng himself is not only mysterious (a little less so to the reader, who meets him in the prologue) with a lot of unbelievable stories to tell.

I like to believe that’s part of his charm. It’s hard to be able to tell whether they’re all 100% true or not, but they’re at least in the realm of possibility. What’s more, the reader will likely want to believe them because they’re just plain fun.

For all his adventures, though, the one thing Zheng never really had was any friends. He worked with a crew, sure, but that’s not really the same as having steady friends. Especially not ones his age. While Ravi is working on going on his first adventure, Zheng’s journey is of a different nature: friendship.

The narrative about friendship and family bonds is a touching one that’s sure to worm its way into readers’ hearts.

Ravi and Shifa already have a connection, of course, being siblings. They don’t always see eye-to-eye, though. Shifa is much more rational and strategic, where Ravi is more emotional and intrigued by the wonders of nature. Throw Zheng into the mix, with his penchant for adventure, and it’s easy to see how a budding friendship might develop. There’s no doubt that the adventure and action is the main headliner in this book, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of other things to love! The friendship here is definitely one of the highlights of this book.

Readers, especially reluctant readers, will appreciate how filled with action this book is!

The plot carries right along, quickly hooking readers with a betrayal, a shipwreck, and a mysterious quest, and it doesn’t let go. There’s not a lot of downtime, though there is some, as Ravi wrestles with decisions and emotions (quite naturally!). Once the adventure gets going, though, it really takes off. I think this will especially appeal to young readers, who get to partake on an ocean adventure in sunny Sri Lanka!

About Nizrana Farook

Nizrana Farook was born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the beautiful landscapes of her home country find their way into the stories she writes. She has a master's degree in writing for young people, and lives in Hertfordshire, England with her husband and two daughters.

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3 winners will receive a finished copy of THE BOY WHO MET A WHALE, US Only.

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