A Distinguished Old Bentley Drove Down to the Sea

R. Gordon Moyles is professor emeritus of English at the University of
Alberta. He is co-author of Imperial Dreams and Colonial Realities:
British Views of Canada, 1880–1914, author of The Salvation Army and
the Public, and editor of “Improved by Cult

I’m not sure just how many children know what a Bentley is. But I
suppose there are some who know it as their family car and will be
overjoyed to see it enshrined in a book just for them with pictures that
make it look as posh as it really is. In any event, that’s what this
colourfully illustrated picture book is all about: a vintage automobile
with a weight of troubles that drives to sea to recharge its batteries,
and there meets a humpback whale with more troubles than a car lot of
Bentleys. Sharing those troubles is efficacious for them both. It sounds
a little silly, but told in an easy singable verse, and accompanied by
some very friendly illustrations of both the Bentley and the whale, it
washes down pretty easily: “The whale fluked his tail / and was gone
with a splash / leaving drops of salt water / on old Bentley’s
dash.” The story might need a little explaining, but should be all the
more enjoyable for that reason. Recommended.