Song For A Whale

Twelve-year-old Iris was born deaf into a hearing family and despite being loved and supported she sometimes feels isolated. Iris spends a lot of time alone in her room repairing old radios and when she hears of Blue 55, a whale with a high-frequency song that other whales can’t hear, she creates a song for him so he will feel like he belongs. Her grandmother, also deaf, understands and takes Iris on an adventure to connect with Blue 55, and both of them benefit from this special journey. This engaging story can be used as a read-aloud or literature circle choice and deals with issues of belonging, the power of love, family relationships, school life, communication, identity, grief and loss, and inclusion.