MIDDLE GRADE REALISTIC FICTION: Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
ABOUT THE BOOK
The story of a deaf girl's connection to a whale whose song can't be heard by his species, and the journey she takes to help him.
From fixing the class computer to repairing old radios, twelve-year-old Iris is a tech genius. But she's the only deaf person in her school, so people often treat her like she's not very smart. If you've ever felt like no one was listening to you, then you know how hard that can be.
When she learns about Blue 55, a real whale who is unable to speak to other whales, Iris understands how he must feel. Then she has an idea: she should invent a way to "sing" to him! But he's three thousand miles away. How will she play her song for him?
REVIEW
Song for a Whale is a beautifully-written tale involving a young girl who is deaf, a whale with an unusual song, and the connection between the two. Iris loves to repair old radios. While she can't hear the sounds they make when repaired, she can feel the vibrations and she's learned how to recognize when they indicate the radio is working correctly. At the same time as she's developing her building skills, she's struggling at her public school. She doesn't get along with her homeroom teacher who always talks to her interpreter rather than to Iris. The other students she can't really communicate with, despite one student's efforts to speak sign language (incorrectly). The tension at school has led Iris to withdraw from school and seek to get her parents to send her to a school with more deaf students.
When Iris hears about Blue 55, a whale who doesn't seem to be able to communicate with any other whales, she wonders if she can find a way to let the whale know he's not alone. Using her knowledge of radio frequencies and vibrations she creates a message for the whale and sends it to the scientists studying the whale. But she decides she wants to be present when the message is played for the whale. Unfortunately, she can't access her savings and her parents refuse to let her go. After appealing to her grandmother, who is still grieving her grandfather's death, the two set off on a cruise that will end in the area where Blue 55 will soon be. But will Iris be able to connect with the whale that has so touched her heart, or will her efforts all have been in vain?
I found Iris's story to be an intriguing one. The details about functioning in a hearing society without hearing were informative and explained why Iris so often felt unheard and isolated. The details about old radios and Iris's efforts to fix them were an interesting plot point that I haven't encountered in a book for kids before and that do play an important role in Iris's actions later. The book's design is beautiful and the text is easy to follow. While the ending isn't completely believable, it works within the context of the story, and it isn't likely to bother young readers. A beautiful story about finding your voice and seeking a way to make yourself heard.
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