Orlev, Uri The Song of the Whales
Houghton Mifflin/Clarion/Graphia/Kingfisher 2010 108p 16.00
978-0-547-25752-5 ms Realistic Fiction E-BN
Mikha'el discovers that his paternal grandfather Raphael has a like soul. Happy in this new and blooming connection, he is able to join his grandfather in the old man’s dreams and share in many adventures and escapes. Beautifully and sensitively written, the lovely relationship between grandchild and grandfather is a lovely thing expressed in simple evocative language.
Uri Orlev’s young protagonist Michael has never been able to relate to children of his own age. He has been much more comfortable in the company of older adults in his New York City neighborhood. When his self-absorbed parents decide to immigrate to Israel, he is removed from his personal comfort zone and transplanted to a new world. Now known as Mikha'el, he discovers that his paternal grandfather Raphael has a similar soul. Happy with this new and blooming connection, he is able to join his grandfather in the old man’s dreams and share in many adventures and escapes. Mikha'el is always surprised when he awakens and discovers that the adventures are not real. As Raphael ages and becomes more infirm, he hints through the dream sequences that he will not always be there and his visions begin to prepare the boy for his final ending. Raphael bequeaths his special gift to the boy as his final benediction. Beautifully and sensitively written, the lovely relationship between grandchild and grandfather is a lovely thing expressed in simple evocative language. The writing is thoughtful, yet not overladen with sentimentality and will appeal to the reader on many different levels.
Highly recommended for middle school libraries. Ogintz, Susan
I am guessing there is a song about whales, somewhere in the book.
ReplyDeleteI have a real song from the whales:
We are the wanderers.
In the dawning of our time
We made our choice.
Our story is old
Our story is long yet simple.
From the surface of solids we came
To give ourselves a chance
To live our own destiny,
Taking our nourishment
From the blue waters
Only the smallest
and simplest of all life
For we cherish life in all things
Seen and unseen.
We are the wanderers.
Our children learn our songs
To each new life
Their own song begins
Always ending on more
Than what has been sung,
Passed from father to son
To wife and daughter
We tell our tale of a simple life
We tell a tale
Of the choice to be simple.
We are the wanderers
We know the changing tides
The wondrous color of the ocean
when it bears our life seeds.
It was the sea that saved us
When the great darkness came
When the surface of solids
Moved and separated
Ending the dreams
of those who lived on that surface.
It is the sea that made us free.
We are the wanderers.
The time draws near, though
When those that dwell
on the surface of solids
May change our destiny
Our life of simplicity
And love of life
May end for reasons
Naught understood
Or honestly justified
We are the wanderers.
The oldest of most creatures
Of ages past.
Who will choose simplicity
And walk our path into eternity
Who will hear our songs
And understand?
Who then will sing our songs?