Song for a Whale

By: Lynne Kelly

Narrated by: Abigail Revasch, Lynne Kelly

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

Critic reviews

Schneider Family Book Award Winner
A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year

"At its luminous heart, Song for a Whale is a tale about longing for connection and finding it in the most magical and unexpected of places. Fascinating, brave and tender, this is a story like no other about a song like no other. A triumph." —Katherine Applegate, Newbery Award-winning author of The One and Only Ivan

“Song for a Whale is beautifully written and is 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

"A quick-moving, suspenseful plot takes her from junkyards to a cruise ship as she [Iris] gains the confidence to stand up for herself and take control of her life. Written by a sign-language interpreter, this story incorporates important elements of Deaf culture and the expansiveness and richness of ASL...this remains a satisfying, energetic read. Iris' adventures will engross readers." —Kirkus Reviews

"The strength of the book is its strong portrayal of Iris as a deaf girl in a hearing world and an intelligent 12-year-old in headlong, single-minded pursuit of her goal." —Booklist

"Subtly and poignantly drawing a parallel between the girl and whale, Kelly (Chained), who has worked as a sign language interpreter, relays Iris’s venture with credibility and urgency. This finely crafted novel affectingly illuminates issues of loneliness, belonging, and the power of communication." —Publishers Weekly

"Iris’s depth of empathy, the joy she feels working with radios, and the skillful way she navigates two different worlds of communication create an authenticity that will resonate with Deaf and hearing readers alike... An uplifting tale that’s a solid addition to most collections; especially recommended for libraries needing stronger representation of Deaf protagonists." —SLJ

Entertaining and educational book!

The book was excellent, a great story of adventure about a deaf girl, her grandmother, and her journey to help a unique whale. The reader did a great job of bringing the story to life!

An engrossing, adventurous tale.

My granddaughters, 8 & 10, and I loved this book! We learned about whales and the deaf community. All while being entertained with a fun adventurous story

I adored this book

As a disability advocate who loves whales, I was blown away by this story. Highly recommend giving it a try.

A beautiful connection

This audiobook was beautifully told and makes multiple connections. I would recommend. My middle school class loved it and they’re now warding questions about ASL and whales.

Moving Story

You can tell a lot of love and research went into this book. My 10 year old daughter and I listened to this book together. It captured our attention right away and held it until the last moment. We had great discussions thanks to this book. Lovely read!