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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
I read this awhile ago now, but I remember thinking that it wasn't bad- I'd recommend it to a young adult (mainly males), but personally... it was kinda over the top. And the ending was sad. So... not my favorite, but not awful.
This book is brutal. So many bad things are chronicled here that it's almost too much. There are victories as well, but one test after the other for the protagonist. Catharsis at the end, but at quite a price.
Excellent book, not appropriate for read-alouds, but definitely a recommendation for my students.
Excellent book, not appropriate for read-alouds, but definitely a recommendation for my students.
Loving this book...definitely older teen...tough language. Subject matter is great for teens to mull over.
I love this book...the language is very strong; however, it takes on all the small town/pompous high-school/bully issues and provides tough to do but intelligent guidance.
I love this book...the language is very strong; however, it takes on all the small town/pompous high-school/bully issues and provides tough to do but intelligent guidance.
Young adult novel about a high school boy who uses swim team as a way to help his peers (and himself) explore his place in the high school social hierarchy and the larger world.
Too full of social and emotional issues to be believable. Couldn't really attach to any one character or issue because there was just so much happening.
Too full of social and emotional issues to be believable. Couldn't really attach to any one character or issue because there was just so much happening.
Chris Crutcher is becoming one of my favorite authors. His stories will hit close to home for almost everyone. Whale Talk would be good for any student, therapist, caring person, or parent. The main character stands up for what he believes in which is helping people. I think its a must read for anyone and everyone! Again just like his other books I am going to buy this one for my classroom. Thank you Chris Crutcher for becoming an author.
I read this for the class Resources for Young Adults while working on my Masters of Library and Information Science.
Wow, I liked this book so much better than I thought I was going to.
This book tackles of issues of race, abuse, justice, and the politics of high school athletics in a small town. Yes, there is language. Not the worst I’ve seen, but it is there. Yes, there is violence. Yes, there is abuse. The world we live in has these things too, although we avoid most of this if possible. I think avoiding these things and understanding them are different. I have lived far too privileged of a life to ignore the existence of these problems. This book, though short, manages to deal with these issues, have a story line, and by the end of the book you suddenly realize you are invested in the characters more than you realized. I mean, to put it simply, this is a book about a bunch of unskilled kids working for a letterman’s jacket. By no means is this the heartwarming tale you see time after time on the Disney channel, but everybody loves a scrappy underdog story. Especially when it accomplishes so much more than that.
Synopsis looked good, but the story was rather boring and too elaborate.
This book was as funny as it was devastating. I've never read a book by Chris Crutcher and this was so very poignant and articulate in its message that I will be looking for more by Crutcher to read.
At certain parts, I found T.J. a little arrogant for my liking, but he's a popular kid in high school, so I get it. There also were a lot of threads to follow, but it was handled so well by Crutcher that I didn't get too overly confused (some of the names did run together for me though)
My favorite part of this book: a healthy teenage relationship shown as a background to the story. It would have been easy to make it a focus and bring it into the storyline better - but it would have lessened the quality of the book.
At certain parts, I found T.J. a little arrogant for my liking, but he's a popular kid in high school, so I get it. There also were a lot of threads to follow, but it was handled so well by Crutcher that I didn't get too overly confused (some of the names did run together for me though)
My favorite part of this book: a healthy teenage relationship shown as a background to the story. It would have been easy to make it a focus and bring it into the storyline better - but it would have lessened the quality of the book.