A quote from here:
https://sermons.faithlife.com/sermons/13192-jonah-the-faithful-servant
The Book of Jonah is small in size (a mere forty-eight verses) but great in its impact and extremely significant in light of its controversial interpretive history. The character, Jonah, has intrigued believers for many centuries. Unfortunately, he has become caricatured by many who miss the positive results of an objective examination of his life. The Book of Jonah is a case study of “missed blessings” because so many readers focus upon its supposed difficulties rather than upon its rich teachings. J. H. Kennedy laments this reality. He states that “to some people Jonah is only a hocus-pocus term which conjures up thoughts about bad luck and personal misfortune. . . . To many people, Jonah suggests an ancient literary myth, a fantastic tale about a man’s being swallowed by a whale and surviving the ordeal. The story is marked by the usual fictional extravagance of folk tales and especially by biblical supernaturalism.”
This author hopes that all readers might see the inherent spiritual truths of Jonah, sense its deep message for humankind, and recognize its important portrayal of the character of God and his purpose. There are important lessons in this small book. One needs to realize that the “fish” is a relatively minor part of the story, mentioned in only three verses. R. T. Kendall is on target in stating, “The Book of Jonah is one of the most relevant books for the present time.” Its message is abidingly relevant for the modern-day reader.
One for Jonah!