I Lived Inside a Whale

A Kids’ Indie Next List Pick A Barnes & Noble’s Best Picture Book of 2024 A Smithsonian Magazine Ten Best Children’s Books of the Year Selection A Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2026 Charter Oak Children’s Book Award Nominee“I Lived Inside a Whale is a touching and beautifully illustrated tale of finding refuge in a story, discovering unlikely allies and sharing one’s voice with the world… I Lived Inside a Whale has a moment for every reader, making it perfect for storytime or bedtime or any time in between. We could all use a little vacation these days, and I Lived Inside a Whale is a great escape, no matter your age.”–Bookpage, starred review“An inspiring, unexpected interior journey.”–Publishers Weekly“Cozy artwork visually depicts both the cacophony of the world and the young narrator’s flights of fancy. This is a gentle, relatable story about a child with sensory sensitivity finding a way to forge connections with others. A sweet, contemplative tale of friendship and discovering one’s voice.” –Kirkus Reviews“The transportive power of books… and the story’s supportive friendship theme makes this a doubly good pick for library and classroom sharing.”–Booklist

Xin Li is an artist and writer. She was born and raised in China and currently lives in Norway with her husband and their daughter. After spending half of her life living in countries outside of her homeland, Xin chose to paint and write, as stories help her to make sense of a world that otherwise is often lost in translation. Xin is passionate about collecting books, watching clouds, and going for long train rides to cities she has never visited before. I Lived Inside a Whale is her U.S. author/illustrator debut.

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