Surf war! : a folktale from the Marshall Islands
(Book)

K-Gr 2-Sandpiper, who waits for the waves to deliver her meal of minnows, is confronted by angry Whale. He fancies himself the ruler of the sea and is furious with Sandpiper for invading his territory. After she points out that there are more sandpipers than whales, Whale insists that his kind outnumber the birds. He calls forth all of his brothers while Sandpiper shouts for her sisters. After no one can tell which side has more, Whale requests that his cousins come to the island: the dolphins, orcas, and porpoises. Sandpiper likewise calls, and flamingos, pelicans, egrets, and terns all appear. Still, no one can tell who has more. Whale commands his kind to eat up the land, while Sandpiper and the other birds drink up the sea. This turns out to be a losing proposition for both parties, who decide that they must all share their resources. The illustrations dominate the pages, with the birds and their backgrounds painted with bright shades of yellow, pink, and orange, while the sea and its creatures are deeper blues, grays, and purples. This charming story provides a moral about getting along with others and caring for the environment.-Donna Atmur, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

This third collaboration between author and illustrator (Conejito, 2006, and Go to Sleep, Gecko!, 2007) derives from Micronesia, specifically the Marshall Islands. Little Sandpiper and great Whale have a surf war over territory. Each claims there is more of their kind; Whale calls forth his whale brothers and Sandpiper calls her sisters. More birds or more whales? Impossible to tell, so they next call for their cousins. Whale has an idea: If the whales eat up all the land, there will be no place for the birds to perch. Sandpiper has an idea: If the birds drink up all the sea, there will be no water for the whales. But, drying up the sea will also dry up the birds' food source, so they spit back the water and the whales spit back the island; the bragging contest ends in sharing "surf and turf." The telling is rich with a storyteller's voice and sound effects, while Valrio's bright blues and yellows span the spreads with broad, brush strokes that mirror the setting of this symbiotic, ecology folktale. (source notes) (Picture book/folktale. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

K-Gr 2—Sandpiper, who waits for the waves to deliver her meal of minnows, is confronted by angry Whale. He fancies himself the ruler of the sea and is furious with Sandpiper for invading his territory. After she points out that there are more sandpipers than whales, Whale insists that his kind outnumber the birds. He calls forth all of his brothers while Sandpiper shouts for her sisters. After no one can tell which side has more, Whale requests that his cousins come to the island: the dolphins, orcas, and porpoises. Sandpiper likewise calls, and flamingos, pelicans, egrets, and terns all appear. Still, no one can tell who has more. Whale commands his kind to eat up the land, while Sandpiper and the other birds drink up the sea. This turns out to be a losing proposition for both parties, who decide that they must all share their resources. The illustrations dominate the pages, with the birds and their backgrounds painted with bright shades of yellow, pink, and orange, while the sea and its creatures are deeper blues, grays, and purples. This charming story provides a moral about getting along with others and caring for the environment.—Donna Atmur, Los Angeles Public Library