Interview with Lynne Kelly, author of Song for a Whale

 

 

 

 

Song for a Whale, by Lynne Kelly

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?

 

The Tween Book club read Song for a Whale, by Lynne Kelly for their February 2021 book discussion. The author graciously agreed to answer questions from the group. Take a look at the interview, which includes a link to a fascinating article, complete with recordings of whale sounds.