From Booklist
Originally published in Canada in 2003 (but never distributed in the U.S.), this moving story features Sarah Richardson, whose family moves from the Montana countryside to Vancouver Island just as she's about to enter sixth grade. Sarah soon finds that island life suits her perfectly--thanks, especially, to her new best friend, Goldie, whose Native American heritage Sarah finds fascinating, especially the wisdom passed to the girls from Goldie's grandmother, Nana. Sarah is also intrigued to learn that her marine-biologist father shares a passion with her new Indian friends: killer whales, which the natives revere and her father studies. Life isn't all native spirituality, however, as Sarah must confront a family tragedy that will change her life forever. Though overly melodramatic in places, Tardif's story has that perennially crowd-pleasing combination of sweet and sad that so often propels popular commercial fiction, especially coming-of-age stories. Tardif, already a big hit in Canada, may soon be a name to reckon with south of the border. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"A wise, enchanting story." —The Edmonton Examiner
"Poignant and compelling, a coming-of-age story that addresses important societal issues within a contemporary backdrop." —Ian Anthony, author, Ace Run
"The story is timeless and the message relevant . . .Whale Song will touch your heart." —Shannon Lea, author, Stolen Innocence
"A wonderfully well-written novel. Wonderful characters [that] shine. The settings are exquisitely described. The writing is lyrical." —Writer's Digest
"Deep and true, a compelling story of love and family and the mysteries of the human heart. Cheryl Kaye Tardif has written a beautiful, haunting novel." —Luanne Rice, author, Beach Girls and What Matters Most
"A tough act to follow for any written genre." —Fresh Fiction
Book Description
Based on native legends of killer whales and wolves, this haunting tale of change and choice sensitively explores issues of the right to die, integrating the optimistic spiritualism of native myth and the hard realities of modern-day life. This beautiful story, told in flashback, straddles the genres of mystery and family drama, as the only witness to a tragedy loses her memory and an innocent person may be in prison for the crime, posing the difficult question Which is the higher morality—love or law? This special edition includes new scenes from the author's screenplay.
From the Author
Whale Song is currently being considered for a movie option by a leading Canadian film producer.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Inside Flap
I once feared death. It is said that death begins with the absence of life. And life begins when death is no longer feared. I have stared death in the face and survived. I am a survivor who has learned about unfailing love and forgiveness. I realize now that I am but a tiny fragment in an endless ocean of life, just as a killer whale is a speck in her immense underwater domain. I spent years fighting my fragmented memories, imprisoned by guilt and betrayal. Locked away in darkness, I learned lessons from Seagull, Whale and Wolf. What I remember the most about my childhood are the happy times, the excursions in the schooner and the sunlight reflecting off deep blue water. I can still see in my mind the mist of water spouting from the surface and a ripple opening softly to release the dorsal fin of a killer whale. Most of all I remember the eerie, plaintive song of the whale caught on the electronic equipment of the boat. Her song still echoes in my mind, like a long-forgotten memory...
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Cheryl Kaye Tardif is the author of Divine Intervention and The River, as well as a published poet and scriptwriter of public service announcements. She lives in Edmonton, Alberta.
