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Song for a Whale
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
22 posts | 25 read | 33 to read
In the spirit of modern-day classics like Fish in a Tree and Counting by 7s comes the story of a deaf girl's connection to a whale whose song can't be heard by his species, and the journey she takes to help him. From fixing the class computer to repairing old radios, twelve-year-old Iris is a tech genius. But she's the only deaf person in her school, so people often treat her like she's not very smart. If you've ever felt like no one was listening to you, then you know how hard that can be. When she learns about Blue 55, a real whale who is unable to speak to other whales, Iris understands how he must feel. Then she has an idea: she should invent a way to "sing" to him! But he's three thousand miles away. How will she play her song for him? Full of heart and poignancy, this affecting story by sign language interpreter Lynne Kelly shows how a little determination can make big waves. "Fascinating, brave, and tender...a triumph." --Katherine Applegate, Newbery Award-winning author of The One and Only Ivan "Beautifully written and such an important story for kids with big struggles in their lives. I fell into Iris's world from the first chapter. Lynne Kelly does an amazing job telling the story from Iris's perspective." --Millicent Simmonds, actress, Wonderstruck and A Quiet Place "Quick-moving, suspenseful...this remains a satisfying, energetic read. Iris' adventures will engross readers." --Kirkus Reviews "This finely crafted novel affectingly illuminates issues of loneliness, belonging, and the power of communication." --Publishers Weekly
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sblbooks
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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#MiddleGradeMonday Featuring a character with disability.
#disability @Karisimo
I highly recommend this one. It was a Schneider Family book award winner and the audiobook also won an award, as well.

Karisimo Stacked! Thanks for sharing! 3mo
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Kshakal
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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Pickpick

A perfect middle grade book about being different and finding your own voice, even if it isn‘t a conventional voice!

Cortg I loved this book. We're using it for middle grades summer book club at the library, I'm really looking forward to it! 3y
Kshakal @Cortg that‘s awesome!! 3y
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Cortg
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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This is the second book we‘ll do for our summer, middle grades book club about a deaf girl who sets out to meet a misfit whale that doesn‘t fit in because his sound can‘t be heard by other whales. This is really an amazing book. #booked2022 ~a nautical novel

Nebklvr This was wonderful 3y
Cortg @Nebklvr It really is! One of my all time favorite middle grades books! 3y
Cinfhen The cover art is fabulous 😍 3y
Cortg @Cinfhen It‘s eye catching, for sure! 3y
34 likes4 comments
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Cortg
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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Pickpick

Perfect read for our grades 4-6 summer book club at the library that fits our ocean theme and diversity. It‘s a great middle grades book about a deaf girl, Iris, who doesn‘t have friends at school and is trying to figure out where her place is in the world. When her teacher shows the class a video about a whale whose song isn‘t in line with other whales and can‘t communicate, Iris decides to try to help the whale, with help from her grandmother!

EvieBee This sounds wonderful! 3y
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Blaire
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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4.5 but rounding up because my son loves it so much. Beautifully told story of a Deaf girl who has a talent for fixing radios and goes on a quest to meet a whale whose song other whales either cannot hear or cannot understand. My son connected with it deeply as his sister is nonverbal and also communicates in a way others cannot understand.

Chrissyreadit It sounds beautiful ❤️ 3y
Cathythoughts It does sound beautiful ❤️ 3y
Blaire @Chrissyreadit @Cathythoughts it was so well-written and explained Deaf culture and ASL. There‘s also a really beautiful bond between the girl and her grandma. Great middle grade read. 3y
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Johanna414
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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Pickpick

Half my 6th grade book club is quarantined right now, but we finished reading our first book of the year yesterday! They loved it, and wanted to take a picture with the book - which we sent to the author on Twitter. Are they not the cutest little things?!?! #librariansoflitsy #teachersoflitsy #litsyloveslibraries

Soubhiville That‘s so fun! 3y
IuliaC Lovely photo! 3y
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sblbooks
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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My favorites so far! @megnews #MGMARCH #MiddleGradeMarch

5⭐ Song for a Whale
Lovely cover and story. Iris is deaf 12 year old who here's about a whale that can't sing on the same frequency as other whales. She is determined help him.

5⭐ Echo
I think this is the best middle-grade audiobook I've ever listened to. I loved how the three different story lines came together at the end. I can see why It won this award.

mom2bugnbee Agreed on Echo! My girls both read it in print in 5th grade & both loved it, but I listened to it. The audio, as you said, was amazing. 4y
megnews Echo sounds great! Stacked. I‘ll make sure to do it on audio. 4y
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Allylu
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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These middle grade books are great. I‘m going to put a couple on my monthly TBR after this. Song for a Whale is about Iris who is deaf and wants to reach out to a whale whose song is on a different frequency from other whales, therefore he swims alone. Iris can relate to that because the kids in her school can‘t understand her. Iris is brilliant and does all she can to connect with the whale. #100YEARS100BOOKS #BookSpinBingo #22 #BFC21 #MGMarch

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
Eggs I liked this one too 4y
megnews I usually read a couple a month. I love middle grade. 4y
See All 11 Comments
sblbooks This is another one I hope to get to this month. I can't wait. 4y
Allylu Yes @megnews I am planning to do that from now on. Consider #MiddleGradeMarch a success at my house. I am sold on Middle Grade. 4y
SaturnDoo Yay!!! I read MG all the time. Probably more than any other genre. I love MG and YA ❤💜❤ Glad to see you're enjoying your reads. 4y
Allylu @SaturnDoo I‘m planning to read some YA in April (YApril?) but probably not as many...maybe. 4y
SaturnDoo @Allylu ohhh that's a brilliant idea ❤ for April. I should do that too!! A couple years ago @megnews and @sblbooks hosted MG in May, and switched it over to March. But I still have a lot of MG books to read so thinking, if they don't mind me using that hashtag, I might read MG again all of May. 🤣 I really need to unhaul all these books. 4y
megnews @SaturnDoo I don‘t mind and may join you. @Allylu we did YA in April last year but I didn‘t this year. I‘m doing a ton of buddy reads in April but I could try to join #YApril if you do it. I switched over to adult books because I thought that‘s what we were “supposed” to do. When I stopped reading aloud to my kids I missed MG but Litsy showed me I can read whatever I want! 😊 4y
SaturnDoo @megnews thank you!! I'm pretty sure MG is what I will be reading in May. It's a favorite genre now. I have plenty of adult to read but my mood and tbr is saying MG and YA😊 Yes, Litsy and GR showed me that I can read whatever I want too. By doing so, I have read more and find it's more enjoyable❤💜❤ 4y
Allylu You can definitely read whatever you want! What do I have to do to host YApril? Yikes! I‘ve never hosted anything before! 4y
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Eggs
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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The story of a deaf girl's connection to a whale whose song can't be heard by his species, and the journey she takes to help him. Great premise and characterizations
#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

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Nebklvr
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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This is an inspiring story of Iris, a deaf twelve-year-old who wants to meet and make a song for a whale who isn‘t able to communicate with other whales. Iris isn‘t a perfect human. She is stubborn, reckless, and occasionally unkind to others (i.e. an actual human, not a perfect narrator). However, she makes and achieves her goals and learns compassion and empathy along the way. This was beautiful.

LiteraryinPA I liked this one as well! 5y
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Andra_library
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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I loved this book with its focus on communication and relationships.

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IamIamIam
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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We took a trip to a local whaling museum today and instead of getting another souvenir from a place we visit pretty frequently, Teddy said he'd like to get a book. If he doesn't read this, I certainly will! Wicket was jealous that he didn't get to go to the museum today, lol. #dogsofLitsy

TheSpineView Poor baby.. he said he needs extra treats.😋 5y
IamIamIam @TheSpineView Haha, don't believe those eyes! He's plenty spoiled!!! 🤣 5y
TheSpineView @IamIamIam I can imagine! 💜🐾 5y
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Johanna414
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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I absolutely loved this one! Iris was such a fun character and it was s beautiful story.

monalyisha I've got this one checked-out, too! Haven't started it, though. Encouraging to see you loved it! 5y
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Johanna414
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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Thing One is playing in the yard, Thing Two fell asleep on our walk... maybe I can sneak in a few pages?

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Johanna414
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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What to read next.... decisions, decisions...

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KyrstinElizabeth
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly

Sometimes she had too much of a drizzly November in her soul and had to get to the sea.

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LiteraryinPA
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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Reading this book in a 24 hour period was like getting a hug. 💗 Iris is a wonderfully endearing young protagonist who learns about a whale who can‘t communicate with other whales because he sings at a different frequency. As a Deaf girl at a hearing school, she immediately empathizes with the whale and wants to help. Her journey- physical and emotional- is well worth taking. Not strictly believable but heartfelt with great side characters. Pick!

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Missusb
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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I am a sook when a book has an animal. I always cry. Here‘s my #rockycat looking innocent when he‘s just as likely to take a nip at me. #currentlyreading #preview #junerso2019 #middlefiction #weneeddiversebooks #catsoflitsy

glitterkitty459 😍🐈 6y
Freespirit 😂😂naughty puss😂😂 6y
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ScottDirkB
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
Pickpick

A really nice journey of finding a place to belong, and helping others. A lot of the plot points did seem very convenient to progress the story, past the point of believability, but overall a lovely story.

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Peddler410
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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I started this one yesterday and it‘s almost over...I don‘t want it to be.

Wonderful story about finding who you are — disguised in a quest to help someone else. Iris is Deaf and learns about Blue 55 in science class. She becomes dedicated to helping him know someone hears him. Her grandma helps her complete her mission.

Lots of connections for me. This one is #huggable 😊
#2019middlegrade

Tamra Sounds very poignant. 6y
LiteraryinPA I just finished it and I 100% agree! So charming and memorable! 6y
34 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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Tanzy13
Song for a Whale | Lynne Kelly
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In the spirit of modern-day classics like Fish in a Tree and Counting by 7s comes the story of a deaf girl's connection to a whale whose song can't be heard by his species, and the journey she takes to help him.

65 likes1 stack add