Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly Buy the Book • 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.
“Song for a Whale” is a gem of a book; a story about a young deaf girl who often feels isolated and alone because of her deafness. Iris is a bit of a tech genius and is often sought after to fix everything for everyone but is often made to feel as if she is not really smart. When she learns of a whale who sings at a frequency too high for other whales to hear and communicate with, she feels a connection. She sets out on a journey with her deaf grandmother, to try and help Blue 55. This story had so much heart, so much love and so much empathy, I could not help but love every single word. It gives the reader an opportunity to live in the mind of a deaf child and understand the uniqueness they live in and the birthright so many of us take for granted.
