Whale Talk
By Victoria W., Little Rock, AR
Whale Talk is an amazing story written by a man who seems to know youth well. Chris Crutcher writes from the perspective of a black-Japanese-white high-school student in Idaho. Adopted at birth by white parents, T.J. Jones is determined to make a difference in his high school, a place dominated by jocks.
When T.J.’s English teacher approaches him with the idea of starting a one-man swim team, T.J. decides to take this one step further. In a touching effort to change the status of some very unathletic students, T.J. recruits the most unlikely athletes for Cutter High School’s first-ever swim team. The seven young men are Simon DeLong (300 pounds), Daniel Hole (extreme nerd), Andy Mott (one leg), Jackie Craig (silent), Tay Roy Kibble (solid muscle), Chris Coughlin (special needs), and T.J. Jones himself.
With the help of Mr. Simet and Oliver Van Zandt (a man T.J. found living in the gym), this team of misfits transforms into a group of boys determined to win a letter jacket, the symbol of all that is holy at Cutter High.
Throughout, the youth bond and reveal their haunting pasts. You will come to love and respect the stamina and courage of the boys and their ability to rise above their circumstances. A perfect mix of sports and life, the book is beautifully written and will find a place in every reader’s heart that yearns to make a difference in the people around them.
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