Song For A Whale

Author: Lynne Kelly
Genre: Middle School, Deaf
Type: Hardcover
Pages: 303
Source: Local Public Library
Publisher: Delacorte
First Published: February 5, 2019
Opening Lines: "Until last summer I thought the only thing I had in common with that whale on the beach was a name."

Book Description from GoodReads: Twelve-year-old Iris has never let her deafness slow her down. A whiz at fixing electronics, she's always felt at home in the world of wires and vacuum tubes.
School, on the other hand, isn't quite as simple. Between her frustrating teacher Ms. Conn and her overly helpful classmate Nina, Iris can't seem to catch a break. 

But during science class, Iris learns about Blue 55—the loneliest whale in the world. Saddened by the animal's inability to speak to other whales, Iris uses her tech skills to come up with a plan communicate with Blue 55.
One small problem: the whale is swimming off the coast of Alaska, nearly 3,000 miles from her Texas home. But, nothing stops Iris, and with her Deaf grandmother by her side, she sets out on a road trip to meet the whale and make sure he's finally heard.But during science class, Iris learns about Blue 55—the loneliest whale in the world. Saddened by the animal's inability to speak to other whales, Iris uses her tech skills to come up with a plan communicate with Blue 55. 

One small problem: the whale is swimming off the coast of Alaska, nearly 3,000 miles from her Texas home. But, nothing stops Iris, and with her Deaf grandmother by her side, she sets out on a road trip to meet the whale and make sure he's finally heard.

My Rating: 4 stars

My Review: As a former American Sign Language/English Interpreter, I get very excited when I see a book about Deaf culture and ASL. This is one of those times. With Song For A Whale, Lynne Kelly, an ASL/English Interpreter herself, has written a touching, entertaining and informative coming-of-age story about Iris, a twelve-year-old girl and a unique whale who both struggle to communicate and find their place within the world around them.

Iris is an interesting main character - she's smart, curious and has some fire in her. But she's also very, very lonely. She is a Deaf tween in a hearing family, who goes to a hearing school, whose only Deaf influence is her grandmother and only friend, Wendell. Her isolation and loneliness are palpable but after reading about Blue 55, a whale who struggles to communicate at the same frequency as other whales, Iris feels a kinship with it. With the help of her Grandma (whose relationship with Iris was one of my favourite parts of the book) and her exceptional electronics skills, they set off on an adventure to help the whale.

Through this compelling and touching story, Kelly weaves information about Deaf culture - - information that may be new to many hearing readers. Topics include: the limited ASL skills of some hearing family members, Deaf poetry, different groups within the deaf community and Deaf pride.

Overall, this was a good middle school read about a spunky girl who just so happens to be Deaf. Her deafness didn't limit or define who she is as a person and I loved that. And while the ending was a little too surreal for me, I think Middle School readers will eat it up. This is a good coming-of-age story with a dash of adventure that has important messages about inclusion, understanding and the importance of familial bonds.

Note: I highly recommend reading the author's notes at the back of the book for more information about Deaf culture.