Mock Newbery 2026 discussion

Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly won our poll by one vote! Lynne Kelly has a lot of experience in deaf culture, could her work lead to a Newbery? What did you think of it?

I liked this book, although I gave it only four stars. I liked the similarities of the loneliness of Iris and Blue 55. I actually googled Blue 55 while I was reading the book and learned about the real Blue 52.

I also googled Blue 55. Newbery? I really liked the book.

The author effectively interjects Blue 55’s perspective or his thoughts into the narrative and adds an engrossing final note about the real-life whale who inspired the story. The novel highlights the issues of loneliness, belonging, and the power of communication.

I was so excited for this novel, but it didn't have the punch I expected to get out of it for me. I love the way deaf culture was portrayed and having her signing in italics, however I wasn't as invested as I usually am in the characters as a whole. I gave it 4 stars, but it was more of a 3.5.

I really loved this story and gave it 5 stars! Iris is a great character who feels such a strong connection with Blue 55. There are not a lot of children's books that deal with deaf culture so this is a wonderful addition. There were so many interesting themes in this book that will appeal to many different children: deaf culture, Blue's isolation, Grandma's isolation, Iris' talent with electronics....I just found it all so interesting! A very different book than anything I have read lately.

This is a book I will recommend to kids who like Fish In a Tree/Wonder/Out of My Mind, etc. It fits nicely into that "overcoming obstacle" trope. Working in a very homogeneous district - I appreciate the microaggressions Iris experiences because of her deafness. My students don't always 'get' the racial microaggressions in books like The Hate U Give or even New Kid. I think this will be a great read-aloud to open that discussion.

I think it will be widely read in my middle school - I'm not feeling the Newbery vibe.

Despite the unrealistic premise, if I had left home for a cruise with my grandma without telling my parents I would been in SO MUCH TROUBLE, this book is a cute read.

I found the character of Iris likable for the most part, and loved her passion for radios. The author's background in sign language makes her descriptions of the characters using ASL seem more realistic. However, it does not fix the issue of trying to convey a visual language through a written medium.

I would like to have seen a resolution of the angst between Iris and Nina. The poor kid was trying!

This book could be an important eye opener for middle graders about ASL and deaf culture.

SONG FOR A WHALE by Lynne Kelly is a complex book with many interacting threads. It has discussions of the meanings of American Sign Language signs but does not use visual examples. It explores sound frequencies and music without audio presentations. It includes details of electronic repairs without diagrams.
The main storyline—a girl and her grandmother “run away” to a nature sanctuary in an effort to communicate with a whale—moves slowly but is easy to follow. Chapters from the point of view of the whale add context to the story.
Other subtexts—grief, loneliness, friendship, human connection to nature, educational mainstreaming—can provide starting points for analysis and discussion.
This novel is certainly unique and provides many opportunities for follow-up if readers become interested in the issues presented.

I just finished Song for a Whale. Overall I thought that it that the book was ok. I liked the many different connections that were all over the book. Easy connections middle grade readers could make. I felt that the ending of the story was lacking. The voice of the main character that was very strong early in the book was lost by the end. I am glad that I read the book, but I wouldn’t put it in on an Out of My Mind level.

This book has so much to offer. A strong, female protagonist with STEM interests, insights into deaf culture, quite a bit of science content, and a satisfying story. It reminds me of THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH (Benjamin, 2015). I consider it a Newbery contender.

I really enjoyed the main character in this story. Her struggle with loneliness will resonate with many young people. Iris' feeling of separation stems from her deafness but many people feel similar loneliness and separation due to other reasons. I enjoyed the connection between her and Blue 55, how she identifies with his struggle. A beautiful story that will impact many of those who read it.

This beautiful book brings a lot of things together: deafness, marine biology, glaciers, and the love we have in our families. I thought it was beautiful. I loved the relationship between Grandma and Iris. I loved what Grandma did, and how she dealt with her loneliness as well. I loved all Iris did to communicate with Blue55 and the parallels between Iris and the whale. I loved the moment they finally meet and how dramatic. It all was. And I loved the fact that, at the end, Iris found her place and herself. I think kids 4th grade and up will be delighted while reading this story. As far as Newbery contender, is think it is a strong one, but probably won’t get the ultimate prize.

I am joining the camp of rating this book as ok. I do think it adds to teaching children about the deaf culture. For that, I would recommend it. The writing style was bland. I would not rate it as distinguished. The story and characters did not resonate with me.

The book is good to read if you are a teacher who is interested in classroom management and who is trying to improve student behavior.
We all say that we want students to feel valuable, know that the school is their home, and feel safe so that they do not risk their learning.
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I want to note that the writer in the book gives us some examples of how to do this, and also tells the stories of the teacher / students to present various scenarios.
Useful to read so far.

Although I loved this, a lot for personal reasons, I think it will not garner Newbery love. Great for teachers , book groups, and possibly read aloud. I think this is one of the many, lovely in school settings, but not distinguished by librarians. More info in my goodreads revew.

I have the book 4 stars. The beginning was really strong but the ending dragged for me, a bit unrealistic as well. I loved the strong characters and plot.

This recent (2019) novel by Lynne Kelly involves an interesting plotline with an easy-to-like protagonist, Iris, and her loveable grandmother. Iris, the only deaf student in her school, is a wiz at electronics. In science class, she learns of Blue 55, a whale whose unique song makes it impossible to communicate with other whales. Iris is determined to create a song that Blue 55 can hear.
A good book to demonstrate determination and creativity, this children’s novel drags at times. The cruise ship story did not have the same fluidity and took a few too many pages to reach a conclusion. I was a bit disappointed with the unrealistic ending. I enjoyed the book, but it is not my favorite read of the month.

I loved iris and grandma in this book. No, I don’t think it will win the Newbery, but I look at our mock Newberry at our school as a way to bring new and different books to my students attention. They will love this one!