Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly

How I Heard About It:  Some middle-grade novels seem to get a lot of "buzz" from the readers.  This is one such book.  I've been seeing the cover and positive comments online for quite some time.  I wanted to see for myself what everyone was talking about.  


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:  
1.  *There are many "lonely" children out there.  Iris may be even more lonely than some because of her not being able to hear the world around her. 

2.  *Most animals seem to travel and/or live in "groups", but Blue55 is not one such animal.  He is a whale that exists primary on his own.  Why is this?

3.  *That is the question that Iris sets out to answer.  She knows how it feels to not be able to communicate like most of the people around her.  Iris imagines that is how Blue55 must feel.  

4.  *With an intent interest in electronics, radio, and music; Iris sets out with a plan to let Blue55 he isn't alone in his "quiet" world under the sea.  

5.  *Iris and her grandmother are lost without her grandfather, but become closer as they begin a journey to reach Blue55.  


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1.  *What I have learned about my own reading preferences is that I can tell if I'm going to be engaged in a novel just after a few pages.  When I begin the story this morning, I knew I was going to completely enjoy the story.  

2.  *I was fascinated about Iris' life as a deaf child and how she navigated the world around her.  

3.  *As a reader, I gained a lot of new and fascinating information about the life of whales, how they communicate, and their sounds.  I think this would be a wonderful novel to tie to a science unit.

4.  *Once the grandmother and Iris began their journey, I did have some questions on whether this was realistic, but I decided to let that go and enjoy.  It is fiction!  

5.  *This is a beautiful and touching story about one girl trying to make sense of not only her "quiet" world, but that same world of a very large whale out in the ocean.  


Who Should Read It:    I know this will make for a strong class read aloud in grades three through six.  Of course individual readers will eat up the story as well.  Middle-school readers would also be an excellent audience for Lynne Kelly's newest novel.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:   4 STARS out of 5 Stars!