Review
When one in every seven children born into the Muzeini tribe of Bedouin are deaf, it is understandably catastrophic when a hearing child loses this sense in a fall from a tree at the age of five. The 'hero' of this story, Abid 'allah, also loses his power of speech and from then until his meeting with Olin the dolphin, communicates by signing. The incredible parallels that develop become obvious between dolphin and boy, further setting the scene for an amazing tale of recovery and mutual support. Bercovitch's attention to detail and effortless ability to impart the most incredible facts without seeming to be aware of their impact, is sometimes, quite bizarre. More often than not the reader is left pondering some quite stunning information regarding the habits of dolphin, whilst the author merrily skips on in her narrative. At times, the desire to wander off at a tangent and learn more about dolphins in general is overwhelming, yet Bercovitch manages to drag the reader back to the main thread of her story, which is the inexpliable relationship between man and dolphin. This isn't a book that needs to be devoured in one sitting, in fact it's relaxed, unhurried demeanour allows the reader to tune in and out whenever the mood takes. (Kirkus UK)
Product Description
Abdullah, a Bedouin boy, was accidentally deafened aged five. Growing up, he was a loner who spent much of his time swimming in the Red Sea. One day a dolphin joined him - and from then on never left his side. This is an amazing true story.