Whale Talk

Crutcher, Chris. Whale Talk. New York: Greenwillow Books, 2001.


Children's Literature Annotation:

Intellectually and athletically gifted, TJ, a multiracial, adopted teenager, shuns organized sports and the gung-ho athletes at his high school until he agrees to form a swimming team and recruits some of the school's less popular students.

Awards and Honors:

• ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Award, 2002 Winner Young Adult Readers United States
• Heartland Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, 2003 Finalist United States
• Young Reader's Choice Award, 2002 Winner Pacific Northwest

Review:
Deborah Stevenson (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, April 2001 (Vol. 54, No. 8))

T.J. (short for his given name of The Tao Jones) hates the jock worship at his high school, which is why he’s gone through nearly four years without playing on a school team despite his considerable athletic talents. A mixed-race kid in a largely white town (T.J. was adopted in early youth), he’s gotten his share of hatred from the jocks (and their recent-graduate ringleader, Rich Marshall), too. He nonetheless ends up as captain and driving force behind his high school’s first swim team, which comprises a broad sampling of misfits, and he takes particular pleasure in using the swim team’s likelihood of lettering to taunt the überjocks, so tensions are running high. When Rich Marshall’s sons and stepdaughter end up in foster care with T.J.’s family, serious trouble seems inevitable. There’s more than a sprinkling of sentimentality here, and the book doesn’t avoid clichés about underdog sports teams (“I have never coached a team with the guts this team has,” the coach predictably proclaims); it also seems to waver a bit on some of its moral stands (physical threat seems to be variably acceptable). It nonetheless has a hard core of smoldering anger that is almost palpable, which a lot of readers will appreciate: T.J. is merciless in his disdain of the unjustly powerful in his world, and his victories over them provide a particularly sweet satisfaction. The book balances out the pleasure of those victories with a painful price (Rich Marshall’s revenge attempt kills T.J.’s father), but there’s pain throughout--what’s emphasized are the human bonds that can surmount and heal human destruction. The emotional dynamics are the main point here, and they’ll keep Crutcher fans--and other young adults disturbed by daily injustice--absorbed throughout. (Reviewed from galleys) Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2001, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2001, Greenwillow, 224p, $16.89 and $16.95. Grades 7-12.

Collection Suggestion:

This book clearly tackles some serious issues and has been challenged by individuals who would like to see it off the shelves of school libraries and public libraries. Librarians should be aware that purchasing this book could lead to challenges at their own library but still should not hesitate adding this book to their collection. This is another novel that would appeal to both middle and high school students.