The Song of the Whales

March 8, 2010
Orlev (Run, Boy, Run
) blurs the edges of dream and reality in this story about Michael, a friendless child of self-absorbed parents, who “ like sports or computer games,” preferring the company of his Plasticine figures and the old men in his neighborhood. When his family moves to Israel, Mikha'el (as he's known there) forges a strong bond with his ailing grandfather, who takes him into his dreams. The two share surreal nocturnal adventures, in which Grandpa “fixes” people's dreams––a gift he passes on to Mikha'el. While Orlev writes with deep empathy for the misfit Mikha'el and his relationship with his dying grandfather, the abrupt shifts from dream to the “really real world” can be jarring and the dreams bizarre. In one nightmare, intended to reform Mikha'el's parents' meat-eating ways (Grandpa is a vegetarian), animals in a restaurant are eager to chow down on Mikha'el's father, who appears as roast beef topped “with side dishes of contracts, account books, and income tax returns.” A strange tale, but a diverting escape, perhaps, to those also at odds with the really real world. Ages 10–up.

May 1, 2010
Gr 4-6-Michael, 11, has never taken an interest in children his own age. Although he is certainly different, he is not necessarily lonely. He has befriended the old men in his neighborhood who share his interestsa jeweler, a bookbinder, and a junk dealer. When he moves from New York to Jerusalem with his less-than-attentive parents, this pattern continues as Mikha'el, as he is now called, develops a wonderful relationship with his grandfather, a former antiques dealer. Like his grown-up friends in the States, his grandfather pays close attention to details and the souls of things and people. As the two grow closer, his grandfather shares a very special gift with the boy, the ability to take him into his dreams. The two have all sorts of adventures in their sleep, although not all of the dreams are good ones and ultimately Mikha'el is being gently eased into accepting what life will be like after his grandfather is gone. This book is truly a work of art. The subtlety with which Orlev writes is absolutely mesmerizing. He draws readers in, thinking that they are back in the "really real world" until suddenly they realize that they are not at all, and instead are immersed in another incredible dream sequence with Grandpa and Mikha'el. There are additional plot elements involving his parents, the housekeeper, and the question of inheritance, but all of that fades away and becomes secondary when Mikha'el enters the old man's dreams."Kerry Roeder, The Brearley School, New York City"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 1, 2010
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* In this spare, swift novel, readers are introduced to a young boy named Michael right before his family moves to Israel. There, he is called Mikhael, and he creates a tight bond with his grandfather, Raphael, an antiques dealer who knows all about the soul of things. One night, Mikhael falls asleep next to Grandpa and is astonished to join in on his dream. Soon, the boy spends every night on fantastical journeys with the old man, sometimes having exhilarating adventures, sometimes setting out to sweeten or repair the dreams of others that have faded or become poisonous: When Grandpa was done with each dream, Mikhael loved to handle it and smell it before returning it to its owner. As his health fails, Raphael bestows his gift upon the boy, so that he may become a dream master in his own right. Washed with a wonderful sense of magical realism and potent lyricism, the narrative is also instilled with delicate family dynamics, many of which Mikhael is able to recognize, while others hover just outside of his full comprehension. This is also the sort of story that operates on many different levels. Its a gentle fable of community connection, a penetrating look at the darker sides latent in people and the mutability of different kinds of love, and a heart-tugging tale about passing the generational torch from grandfather to grandson. With a clean sense that less is more, Orlev has crafted a sweetly mysterious and quietly moving read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)