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. *This audiobook edition includes an author’s note and a section on deafness and sign language, both read by the author Lynne Kelly "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
Download and start listening now!
“Iris, a twelve-year-old deaf girl, prefers American Sign Language to speech, but listeners can still hear her every thought and sign. This is thanks to Abigail Revasch, who expressively narrates Iris’ ASL conversations and mental musings…Revasch captures Iris’ frustration and anger as she furiously signs her displeasure to her parents, who refuse to let her participate in the Blue 55 tracking expedition, which takes place three thousand miles from her home. Other times, Revasch conveys the linguistic beauty of ASL in this insightful glimpse of deaf culture. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile
Be the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Lynne Kelly has has always loved reading, but as while working as a special education teacher she fell in love with children's literature all over again. Today, 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.
Abigail Revasch is an Earphones Award–winning narrator and an actress. She has starred in television shows such as 7th Heaven and ER and has narrated numerous video games and commercials, as well as audiobooks. She holds a BA in theater arts from Northwestern University.