describes Carly, the girl he has a crush on. says, “I swear, if God made him choose between that ugly truck and his you-know-what, which he claims is also supersized by McDonald’s, it would have been a three-day decision.” talks about how much a jock at his school loves his Ford. tries to “outsmart the Internet controls the school puts on” and types in “‘chicken breasts,’ hoping the browser will spit back a little bit about chickens and a whole lot about breasts.” is grateful his “last name can’t be translated into any target so basic to adolescent males.” When talking to a classmate named Dan Hole, T.J.“She’d had a one-night stand with my sperm donor to get even for a good thumping and had no idea the tall black-Japanese poet’s squiggly swimmer was the one in a billion to crash through to the promised land.” talks about how his biological mom got pregnant with him. Whale Talk is a must-read, heartwarming book for those who want to think deeply about human connection. These subplots have mature topics including bullying, domestic violence, child abuse, racism, and death. However, in true Chris Crutcher fashion, every subplot intertwines and contains a lesson to be learned by T.J. forming the swim team, which may be overwhelming for some readers. While there is some swim terminology used, Whale Talk focuses mostly on T.J.’s life. learns that knowing someone’s past experiences is the key to understanding the reason behind their actions. has a great support system, including his foster parents and his counselors, who give him advice along his journey. makes questionable decisions and can be hot-headed, his heart is in the right place. T.J.’s motivation for the swim team sways from wanting to defy Cutter’s athletic expectations, to giving the team a sense of belonging.

Readers will enjoy his quick wit and appreciate his empathy. The story is told in the first person from T.J.’s point of view. The team eventually becomes a family, a place to share their tragic backstories and offer each other consolation. Simet and Icko, a homeless man who sleeps at the gym where they practice, help morph this group of outcasts into a real team. There is no pool at Cutter, and they have to travel to every swim meet. What the team lacks in skill they make up for in motivation. forms an idea: a swim team full of high school rejects earning the right to wear letter jackets at school. After witnessing a mentally handicapped student get bullied for wearing his dead brother’s letter jacket, T.J. He wants nothing to do with sports until his English teacher, Mr. He thinks the jocks and their letter jackets are over-glorified, and that the school favors them. is a Cutter High School senior who despises school sports.

Whale talk by chris crutcher