A Distinguished Old Bentley Drove Down to the Sea

Description

24 pages
$11.95
ISBN 1-897174-05-5
DDC jC813'.6

Author

Year

2006

Contributor

Illustrations by Peter Pickersgill
Reviewed by R. Gordon Moyles

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

Review

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.

Citation

Rae, Lisa., “A Distinguished Old Bentley Drove Down to the Sea,” Canadian Book Review Annual Online, accessed October 15, 2024, https://cbra.library.utoronto.ca/items/show/22752.