Whale Song: Amazon.co.uk: Cheryl Kaye Tardif: Books

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The Edmonton Examiner, November 5, 2003

"a wise, enchanting story..." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Ian Anthony, Award Winning Author, www.secretbookcase.com

"Poignant and compelling...addresses important societal issues...Ms. Tardif has a writing style which is appealing and meaningful." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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I once feared death. Read the first page

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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

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5.0 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Forgiveness sets you free, 24 Jul 2007

By	Amanda Richards "Hotpurplekoolaid" (ECD, Guyana) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This is an amazing story, and one you'll want to read again and again. Cheryl Kaye Tardif skillfully weaves her tale of friendship, love, loss, pain and forgiveness, and although not very long, it's a story you won't easily forget.

Sarah Richardson moves to Vancouver Island with her mother and father, and soon becomes fascinated with the Native American folklore that permeates the area. Her father is a marine biologist, and through him, she is introduced to the song of killer whales as they frolic in the ocean. Although some aspects of her school life are a bit rocky, she is fortunate to meet Goldie, who becomes her best friend. Goldie's grandmother is a very wise woman who educates Sarah in significant aspects of Native American culture, and also provides guidance and support.

Just when things are falling into place, tragedy strikes, leading to an event so traumatic that Sarah loses her memory. Unable to deal with the pressure, she begins separating herself from her friends and family, until the day when the past catches up with her and she is finally able to forgive.

The story shows how someone can triumph over prejudice and hatred, and just about the point when you think you have it all figured out, the author throws in a twist, and an ending well worthy of being called a grand finale. A short yet emotional read that may just move you to tears.

Amanda Richards

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Awesome Book!, 10 Aug 2004

By	pcfrancine (Edmonton, AB, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Whale Song (Paperback)

Whale Song deals with teenage issues such as bullying and cultural differences. It is an excellent book! Some parts will make you cry; some parts will make you joyful. Adventurous and realistic, Whale Song is a book for all ages.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 27 Aug 2008

By	TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

11-year-old Sarah and her parents, Daniella (an artist), and Jack (a marine biologist), move to Canada from the States. Sarah is not happy about the move but she starts warming up to the idea when she sees their beautiful new house located right along the beach that has an amazing view. She's even more happy when she meets Goldie. The two quickly become best friends. Sarah loves Goldie's family, especially her grandmother who they call Nana most of the time. Goldie is of Indian descent (along with most of the other people in the town where Sarah is living), so Sarah learns new traditions and tales from the past.

Sarah develops a crush on a boy in her class, Adam. She also gets bullied by a girl named Annie. But for the most part she likes her new home. She especially loves going out on the schooner with her parents and listening to the whales, which are Sarah and her mother's new love.

Not long after being in their new home, Sarah's mom starts having fainting spells. It is discovered that she has a rare condition that is slowly wasting her away. When Sarah finds this out she's devastated. Unfortunately, there's nothing anyone can do for her mother. Her doctors only give her about two to three more years to live, max.

When Daniella eventually ends up in a coma, something happens and she dies. Jack (Sarah's father) is arrested for pulling the plug on the machines that were keeping his wife alive. Sadly, after his long-awaited court date, the jury finds him guilty and he's sentenced to ten years in prison.

Sarah has to go back to the U.S. with her grandparents and leave everything behind once again. She tries to block out all that has happened to her back in Canada, even the good things. But when she's older (in her 20's), someone comes along and opens her floodgates (so to speak), and she once again remembers everything, including how her mother died.

This was an incredibly hard book to write a summary of. So much happens in WHALE SONG that it's hard to cover the basic things in a short summary. Just go read the book and you'll find out how wonderful it is! It's completely heart wrenching because you know all along that Daniella is dying. But the whole book is just amazing.

I seriously never wanted to put it down. Ms. Tardif's use of words is incredible, like when she's talking about the killer whales or describing scenery. They just flow so easily across every page. My heartstrings were being pulled the entire time and I absolutely loved it. If you like these type of books, I seriously recommend getting yourself a copy. You seriously won't be disappointed. And yes, I know I just overused the word seriously -- sorry!

Reviewed by: Breanna F.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful, moving family drama that spans the generations! Beautiful writing!

The title of this book leaped out at me from the striking cover, but when I started reading, I was captivated by how meaningful the title was to this very moving story... Read more

Published 22 months ago by Betty L. Dravis

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Whale Song (Paperback)

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Product Description

The Edmonton Examiner, November 5, 2003

Ian Anthony, Award Winning Author, www.secretbookcase.com

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