Song for a Whale

It’s surprising so many deaf people have families who never learn American Sign Language (ASL). Since most deafness isn’t hereditary, about 90% of Deaf children are born to hearing parents. 

Unsurprisingly, twelve-year-old Iris was born deaf to hearing parents. Her mom and brother sign, but her father can’t seem to grasp his daughter’s language. And, instead of enrolling Iris in a school for the deaf, they have her mainstreamed in the public schools with a hired ASL interpreter. 

One day in Science class, Iris learns about Blue-55, a hybrid blue/fin whale unable to communicate with other whales. He swims around by himself and not in a pod like most whales; and his song is at 55 hertz, much higher than other members of his species. Iris feels this whale’s pain. 

Iris has a talent with electronics. Her favorite hobby is collecting broken antique radios and repairing them. Unfortunately, the kids in her middle school classroom think she’s stupid because of her deafness. Little do they know she’s a tech genius. 

Moved by Blue-55’s story, Iris is determined to compose a song for the whale at his frequency. Thus begins Lynne Kelly’s novel, Song for a Whale. The book is a beautifully written tale about longing for a connection and finding it in a magical and unexpected place. 

The plot moves from Iris’ neighborhood junkyard to a cruise ship showing how Iris develops the self-confidence to stand up for herself and take control of her life. 

I became deaf in mid-life, so I empathized with Iris’ problem. Though she was surrounded by hundreds of classmates in the cafeteria during lunch, she was alone, just like Blue-55. Author Lynne Kelly, a sign language interpreter and teacher, shows precisely how loneliness affects Iris and how she uses her smarts to not only take control of her life but also communicate with a lonely blue/fin whale. 

Song for a Whale, a New York Public Library Best Book of the Year, is a 309-page novel written with middle school children in mind, but is appropriate at any age.

About the Author

Lynne Kelly is an ASL interpreter from Houston, Texas. She graduated from a college in East Texas and eventually became a special education teacher. She enjoyed her students and teaching, but waking up early every morning wasn’t her thing. As a teacher she fell in love with children’s literature and became interested in writing. Her first novel, Chained, is about a boy, an elephant, and a friendship stronger than chains and shackles. 

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