Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher
A few weeks ago, I decided to do a Frequently Challenged Book Unit with my Pre-AP students. I compiled a list of fifteen frequently challenged books that I happen to have in my classroom library. Of the fifteen, I had read all but two. This was one of the two, and this was my reason to move it up on my to be read list. Honestly, I wish this is one I had read earlier because I would've book talked the heck out of this for my students. Like everything else I have read by Chris Crutcher, this is phenomenal.
There's a lot going on in this book: bigotry, abuse, racism, athleticism, you name it, it's probably in this book. I read one of the one-star reviews on Amazon that basically indicated that all of the things going on in this book detracted from the story and nothing was resolved. I wish I could shake some sense into that person because they were completely wrong.
This is told by The Tao Jones, or TJ, as everyone calls him. He's a senior at Cutter High. Apparently, all the athletic teams at school want him, but he refuses to be a part of the athletic culture because it is made up of jerks. Case in point: one of the star football players threatens a mentally challenged student because said student is wearing his dead brother's letterman, and that is "against the rules." TJ himself is adopted, having come from an abusive and neglectful situation, so he sees himself in the underdog most of the time.
TJ is approached by one of his teachers to start a swim team. Nevermind that the school doesn't actually have a pool. TJ thinks about it, and what makes him decide to do it is the letterman incident I just mentioned. He thinks that if there is a way for that student to earn his own letterman, maybe the football players will leave him alone. So he recruits a handful of misfits to become his swim team.
Over the course of this book, we see these young men grow in ways you don't expect, but especially TJ. I could write for days and not cover everything that needs to be said about this book, but take it from me, you won't be disappointed that you read this.
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