Song for a Whale

Lynne Kelly

Feb 2019 · Sold by Delacorte Press

About this ebook

The award-winning and USA Today bestselling 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.

"Fascinating, brave, and tender...a triumph." --Katherine Applegate, Newbery Award-winning author of The One and Only Ivan


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.


And make sure to read Lynne Kelly's next book and instant classic, The Secret Language of Birds!

Ratings and reviews

A Whale of a Tale: what a fun and deep :) adventure! Iris has a lot going on! Her new school isn't working out well. Her grandpa passed away and her grandma is grieving so much that they can't talk they way they used to. (But things get happier!) When Iris finds out about a whale whose song is higher than all the "regular" whales, she has to do something to connect. After all, she was named for a whale! Iris has an interesting hobby: You might think it would be hard to re-build radios when you're deaf, but she's good at it. Her friend Wendell goes to a school for the deaf, so he has many more friends who can sign. His interesting hobby is space and he has a telescope that Iris gets to look through too. This book made me want to go to Alaska and see whales and dolphins with my friends!

Even though the cover of this book is so gorgeous it's hard to stop staring at it, once you begin reading you can't help but fall in love with this book. I adore stories where every thread in the book supports the character arc in a way that is smooth and feels just right--that is what you get with SONG FOR A WHALE. Everything has a purpose and it all unrolls at the perfect time to make your heart soar. Iris is such a spunky yet vulnerable character, you can't help but root for her. Her Grandmother is a blast. And every other character in the story was well rounded, full of strengths and flaws to make them relatable. Each one captured my heart and attention as I swam through the pages. I loved them all. And learning more about the deaf community is fascinating. And then there is that wonderful whale, Blue 55. Haven't we all had a time where we were wandering through the world and weren't sure that no one else was hearing us? This whale will touch your heart and you will be rooting for both him and Iris the whole way through. After swimming through this book, it is not a stretch to believe that Kelly's latest book will be in the hands of young readers for a very long time. As a fan of her debut, CHAINS, I can't wait to see what she writes next.

This was honestly one of the best books I have read in my life! It has a mix of genres and is very interesting! I a 100%recommend it.

About the author

Lynne Kelly has always loved reading, but while working as a special education teacher, she fell in love with children's literature all over again. She lives in Houston, Texas, and works as a sign language interpreter while writing books for kids. Her first book, Chained, was a South Asia Book Award Honor and Crystal Kite Award winner. Song for a Whale is her second novel. Find her online at http://lynnekellybooks.com/wordpress and on Twitter at @LynneKelly.