EDU 330- Book 4

A story with foul language, discrimination, racism, sexual comments and even teenage drama wrapped in a ball covered with relationships, determination, love, and a heart-warming struggle to do what is right, encompasses Chris Crutcher’s book entitled “Whale Talk”. The Tao Jones or T.J. is our main character, a teenage boy, who never really fit into his athletically driven high school. As a young boy, T.J. was adopted by his lawyer mother and motorcycle loving father after being abandoned by his biological mother. When one of the teachers from his school, Cutter High School in Cutter, Washington, asks him to join the swim teacher, two problems arise. First there is no pool and second, T.J. is the only one on the team.
Through determination and maybe even pride, T.J is driven to prove that “his” swim team is just as good as the rest of the athletic teams at their school and deserve to wear the prized varsity letter jackets given only to “true athletes”. T.J.’s swim team, a band of misfits, join forces to help each other battle discrimination, bulling, the school (mostly the judgmental athletic department), and even each other as they strive for the letter jackets, learn who they are and where they were meant to be in life. This book offers the readers a look not only into the journey of the “swim team” but T.J.’s life struggle with who he is and where he has come from.
A fast read with accessible, even though at times inappropriate, language that grasps the reader and pulls you into the book. Relatable characters and issues give the book a life of its own. An amazing book written with a reality unseen before and packed full of real life issues that touch the heart of the reader, “Whale Talk” is a must read.

This was one of the only books that has ever made me cry. It was an emotionally engaging book, one that had me hooked not just on the subject matter, the issues and language involved but the characters themselves as well. Chris Crutcher is an amazing author, with many incredible books that young adults and even older audiences will enjoy. He has a number of books that are banned in certain schools and states which make his books all the more interesting to read. Interestingly enough, “Whale Talk” was one of these books up for a vote to remove or keep the book from being taught in the classroom of a school in Delaware of 2009. Fortunately for Chris and for the students in this Delaware school, the vote was 0 to 9 to keep the book. This book can be used to teach many areas in the classroom including diversity, cultural education, discrimination, language, storytelling, literary elements such as voice, plot, themes, conflict, and dialogue. Symbolism, subtext and or context can also be taught using this book. If I could get my school and the parents on board for using this controversial piece of text then I believe that this would be an incredibly beneficial book to my students not only academically but socially and emotionally as well.

This is the link to the information on the issue of removing or keeping the book- “Whale Talk”

And this is Chris Crutcher’s Website