A Whale and his Song
Good morning! I hope you all are doing well and staying safe. Today I will be reviewing the extraordinary novel, Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly. Many of my close friends, who are also big readers, recommended this book and am glad they did. Song for a Whale was such a good book. It captured my attention from the beginning. But before I go into talking about this amazing book, I want to tell you a little bit about how I find my books. First off, you can’t underestimate the importance of friend recommendations. Song for a Whale was recommended by a couple friends of mine and I loved it! I also look to see what some of the authors I like recommend, review book lists, and even have my mom give me recommendations. There have been a few times where my mom has picked out a book for me and it will end up being so good. Anyway, I hope this helps you if you are having a hard time finding books to read. Song for a Whale is not only a really great read, but it has also won the Schneider Family Book Award. This novel has received so much praise from critics and other authors as well. Song for a Whale is written from the perspective of a deaf girl named Iris. Iris has inspired me to learn ASL (American Sign Language) this summer and makes me respect all that deaf and hearing challenged people have to go through. I am going to give Song for a Whale 5 stars and rate it for kids at the ages 10 and up. I hope you all have an amazing Sunday and that you can read this amazing novel!
As I mentioned, Song for a Whale is about a girl named Iris. Iris was born on the same day that a Sei whale washed up onto a shore of a nearby beach, and sadly, died. This special whale was beached because she was deaf. In a whale’s life, the ability to hear is very important. If they can’t hear the calls of other whales, they won’t live very long. Coincidentally, Iris is born deaf. Growing up, Iris has never felt like she fit into school or any group activity. Instead she uses her time to fix old radios for Mr. Gunner, the owner of the local thrift shop. Iris loves to feel the vibrations of the music through her hand when she touches the speaker. One day in science class, her teacher tells the room about a whale called Blue 55 who sings its song at 55 hertz and does not travel with a pod. Most whales can always be found with more whales and typically sing at 14-20 hertz. Iris is intrigued by Blue 55. Marine biologists and scientists have tried to put a tracker on him, but they never can, so Iris sets out to help them. With some assistance from the orchestra at school, Iris is able to record a song very similar to Blue 55 and send it to the researchers at a marine animal sanctuary in Alaska. They think it’s a great idea and agree to play the song when they attempt to tag him. Iris wants to be there when they tag him but her parents, of course, do not agree to go all the way to Alaska while school is still in session. So, will Iris find Blue 55? Can she get to Alaska in time? Find out in the incredible novel, Song for a Whale!
Happy reading,
Evelyn Harrier
As I mentioned, Song for a Whale is about a girl named Iris. Iris was born on the same day that a Sei whale washed up onto a shore of a nearby beach, and sadly, died. This special whale was beached because she was deaf. In a whale’s life, the ability to hear is very important. If they can’t hear the calls of other whales, they won’t live very long. Coincidentally, Iris is born deaf. Growing up, Iris has never felt like she fit into school or any group activity. Instead she uses her time to fix old radios for Mr. Gunner, the owner of the local thrift shop. Iris loves to feel the vibrations of the music through her hand when she touches the speaker. One day in science class, her teacher tells the room about a whale called Blue 55 who sings its song at 55 hertz and does not travel with a pod. Most whales can always be found with more whales and typically sing at 14-20 hertz. Iris is intrigued by Blue 55. Marine biologists and scientists have tried to put a tracker on him, but they never can, so Iris sets out to help them. With some assistance from the orchestra at school, Iris is able to record a song very similar to Blue 55 and send it to the researchers at a marine animal sanctuary in Alaska. They think it’s a great idea and agree to play the song when they attempt to tag him. Iris wants to be there when they tag him but her parents, of course, do not agree to go all the way to Alaska while school is still in session. So, will Iris find Blue 55? Can she get to Alaska in time? Find out in the incredible novel, Song for a Whale!
Happy reading,
Evelyn Harrier
