When her mother dies, twelve-year-old Willa feels lost and alone except when she connects with things her mom loved about the wonders of the ocean as a marine biologist. While on a whale-watching excursion with her dad, who is trying to cheer her up after Willa is sent to live with him and his new family, Willa is alone on one side of the boat when she sees a humpback whale. Her awe and … and wonderment about this massive and beautiful creature turns to shock when the whale communicates with her, introducing herself as Meg and exchanging small talk. Willa asks if they can talk again, and Meg tells her that if she goes to the edge of the shore and calls out to her, she’ll reply. Whales, after all, are very social creatures and communicate by sounds that can travel for miles, underwater.
As their friendship develops, Willa views Meg as a trusted confidant who offers sound advice about dealing with a nemesis at school and trying to figure out why her best friend, Mark, is keeping secrets about his family life–all the kinds of talks her mom would normally have with her. She also learns about how similar whales are to humans in caring deeply for their babies, creating communities called “pods,” and even singing.
When a blue whale washes up on shore and dies, the townspeople jump into action with opinions about what to do with it. Blue whales are the largest animals known to have ever existed, so there is no simple solution. Some are advocating blowing up the whale, some want to cut it up and drag it out to sea, others say let it rot on the obscure beach. Willa is outraged by what she views as inhumane treatment of the deceased whale and vows to do something about it, which is precisely what her mom would have wanted. She knows this is a problem she can’t tackle alone, though, and enlists her friends, family, and the City Council to rescue the body of the whale and donate it to the local university where her mom taught for further study and to display the bones.
Feeling good about getting her community to band together in service of science and conservation, Willa returns to the shore to tell Meg about her amazing experience. Her joy is tempered with sadness when Meg tells Willa that it is time for her pod to migrate, but it’s okay to say goodbye because they will always be connected in a special way in their hearts because they care about each other and showed it by listening and learning about each other.
Willa and the Whale is a poignant story about caring and loss and the deep connections that make us human.
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My heart feels so happy and full of warmth and so much love! Willa and the Whale is a unique and beautiful story about grief, sadness and learning how to move on. It’s deeply moving, heartfelt, and sweet in all the best ways.
Chad Morris and Shelly Brown created an amazingly wonderful and poignant story that absolutely touched my heart. I think the authors’ writing style is captivating and had me hooked from the start. I really like how they managed to address sensitive issues in a lighthearted, but meaningful and believable way. The characters are just so delightful and loveable. Willa stole a piece of my heart and I adore her completely. I enjoyed her conversations with Meg, her sense of adventure, her love for the ocean and its creatures, and her spunk. The side characters are pretty interesting too and I didn’t really dislike anyone. The story moves along quite nicely and there’s enough intrigue, drama, and excitement that kept me turning the pages.
I honestly loved so many things about this book. I loved Meg, her humor and her stories. The friendship between Willa and Marc was so endearing and watching them both finally open up to each other was heartwarming. I also loved reading the journal entries before each chapter. I loved exploring the tide pools and learning new facts about ocean life. I loved how everyone came together to solve a problem and I absolutely loved the ENDING!! It was just perfect and my favorite pleasant surprise from this lovely tale. And while some parts of this story are indeed sad and made me tear up a few times, there’s also so much joy, wonder, hope and love.
Willa and the Whale by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown is an unforgettable and affecting story about death, sadness, friendship, family, and acceptance. It’s well-written and such an enjoyable read. But more than anything, I love that it teaches, heals, and reminds us that sometimes letting go doesn’t mean we forget. Everyone and everything that touches us will always be a part of us. And it’s okay to be sad. We all feel it, experience it, and deal with it in our own ways, and whichever way that is, it’s going to be okay.
I honestly can’t recommend this enough and I’m sure plenty of readers would love this too… not just middle grade or young adults. I think this book is perfect for all ages.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed this contemporary middle grade fiction by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown. Willa and the Whale is a remarkable story of a young girl grieving the death of her mother with the help of a humpback whale. Willa’s mother was a marine biologist and every chapter starts with a journal entry that shares interesting *really cool* facts about the ocean.
I love how Willa talks to Meg the whale to help her get through tough times. The story has several complex characters and Willa’s best friend, Marc, has his own secrets and hurts he is dealing with. Then there’s Lizzy, the annoying know-it-all who seems out to get Willa at her most vulnerable places. But the authors unveil wonderful facets of these characters we couldn’t see at first, just like we can’t see what’s in the ocean by looking at the surface.
This book is excellent for tapping into the complexities of life which will always include some form of grief, trials, and trouble. It’s a wonderful read with funny, heart-warming episodes and plenty of fun learning opportunities. There are a ton of things I want to look up and have my kids learn about. I’m going to encourage my children to read this book as well and I’m pretty certain they’ll love it just as much as I did.
I love finding middle grade books that teach kids how to cope with life. This one by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown does just that in a clever and fun way.
Willa is just a normal 12 year old girl. But she’s lost her mom recently. Her dad takes her on a boat ride and Willa spots a whale. Not just any whale. This whale shows off for Willa and then starts talking to her. I loved the way this book felt magical. Who gets to talk to a whale from miles away? And Willa’s whale, Meg, gives the best advice using stories from her life.
Willa has other friends besides Meg. But she’s just moved back from Japan and things are…different. Her friend Marc is a bit secretive, and Willa doesn’t know why. And then there’s Lizzie. Willa thinks there is no way they will ever be friends.
But Willa learns a lot and grows throughout the plot of this book. A lot of that learning and growth comes from Meg. But some is from her friends and family. I loved the way they all were able to grow and learn together. There are so many valuable lessons in this book.
This book is a must read for all tweens and teenagers out there! And maybe their parents as well.
I was sent a copy of Willa and the Whale as a gift from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
When Willa really needs someone to talk to, she finds an unexpected friend, a humpback whale named Meg! Willa was with her dad on a whale watching outing — something she used to do with her marine biologist mom. Not only is Willa grieving her mother, she recently moved back to Washington state from Japan, and her Dad’s new family is big and loud. Plus, she’s not sure where she stands with her old friend Marc.
Willa and the Whale is terrific middle grade realistic fiction, but with a bit of magical realism thrown in (talking whale and all). Using a combination of traditional narrative paired with journal entries from Willa (and later from Willa’s mother), readers get to know and care about Willa. Since Willa is an enthusiast, the journal entries are brimming with personality and filled with facts about ocean life. Kids will learn a lot about whales and other forms of aquatic life while watching Willa’s larger story unfold.
Willa’s story presents many serious life issues in a relatable, sensitive way. Willa navigates a lot of hard stuff: Among other challenges, she’s dealing with death and grief, she’s rekindling a friendship and learning how to be a good friend to someone who is going through his own challenges, she’s got a complicated dynamic with a classmate, and she’s adjusting to life with her Dad and their newly blended family. Listed all together, that sounds like a whole lot of heavy. But authors Chad Morris and Shelly Brown manage to give everything a realistic yet gentle and positive treatment. The result is as comfortable and reassuring as Willa’s burgeoning relationship with Meg the whale.
The cast of characters is engaging and well-drawn, pacing is even, and the plot is fairly uncomplicated but in a good way. In addition to finding Willa’s whale friend compelling, readers will become immersed in the every day details of Willa’s life. As they learn about Willa and watch her wade through a lot of life, they’ll gain empathy and important insight into themselves, too. Some readers might even be inspired to start their own journals.
4 of 5 Hearts. Compelling realistic fiction with a magical twist!
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I would like to thank Shadow Mountain Publishing for providing me with an Advance Reader’s Edition of Willa and the Whale. I was not required to post a review.
What a poignant and beautiful story! Willa’s grief at her mother’s death feels like a “million jellyfish stings” and she is tired of crying all the time. She finds solace in talking to Meg, a humpback whale and this leads her to deepen relationships with the people around her and discover that healing does come, little by little, as she learns to open up and rely on her “pod.” I love that she relates to the world around her by comparing people’s behavior or her feelings to to marine life; it lightens up the book so the subject matter doesn’t feel quite so heavy and it makes it relatable for kids. I look forward to reading this with my own children and am sure it will become a family favorite!
I really loved this story of a thirteen-year-old girl and her journey through grief after the death of her mom. Willa had been living with her Marine Biologist mother in Japan after her parent’s divorce. Her mom passes away and she heads back to the US to live with her dad, his new wife, and several step-siblings. Willa is suffering as she tries to adjust to life with this new family living in her old house. Willa doesn’t know if her old best friend still wants to be her friend. Her life is filled with doubts and sorrow. Willa finds a friend and mentor in a humpback whale that she met while on a whale watching tour with her dad. Honestly, I loved this aspect of the novel. Willa found someone she could share all of her troubles with and Meg, the whale, was able to help her find the answers she was looking for.
This novel highlights so much middle school angst, tweens and teens will be able to really relate to Willa, her bestie Marc, and her snotty rival, Lizzy. The uncertainties of fitting in and being good enough are shown many times in the book. I liked to see how each one of the teens grew and became better people. Willa’s development as a person was the greatest, as she with Meg’s help learned to let the anger go, forgive others, and finally learn to start healing from the loss of her mom. Funny enough, Meg the “talking” whale was my favorite character. I loved her humor and sound advice she gave to Willa. I truly enjoyed the moments that Willa and Meg chatted with one another.
I recommend this book to tweens, teens, and adults. This book would be a great family read-aloud.
I have been in a reading rut recently, and I just haven’t wanted to pick up a book and read it. And honestly, I didn’t think a middle grade fiction story would change anything, but holy cow! I loved this book! I was expecting to think that it was ok, and that my kids might like it, but I was pulled into it right away and almost devoured it as soon as I started reading. I will definitely recommend that this is read with a box of tissues near by. I think I love that the issues that Morris and Brown tackle range from super heavy, to hey my kid is going through that right now. And they are tackled in a way that I think would really resonate with a lot of who this book is aimed at. Actually, I think it would resonate with anyone who read this book and is going, or has gone to school. I was so tempted to look up all the ocean creatures that were mentioned, but I was so into the book that I didn’t want to stop and get on my phone. I’ll have to go back and look things up now that I’m satisfied with the ending and not wondering what all is going to happen.
All in all, this was an excellent book that was entertaining, touching, and well written. I will definitely see if my kids will read this, and I’ll suggest it to their friends too.
*I received a copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own
I wasn’t really sure what to think about this book initially due to the talking whale part. I really felt bad for Willa with everything she had to deal with at such a young age, and the whale talking grew on me. Several relationships were mended or strengthened throughout the story, and Willa found purpose and ways to help her deal with her grief.
This was an enjoyable middle grade read that I’d recommend to my kids. The tidbits about ocean life were fascinating and I couldn’t help but look up pictures/videos about a few things that were mentioned.
Chad Morris and Shelly Brown are a great writing duo. I look forward to reading more from them.
*I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is the second book in a row that I’ve read that has required tissues. So, fair warning to you, have tissues nearby when reading this.
It’s so good though. Like, bedtime was an hour ago, but I can’t bring myself to stop kind of good. When I first started reading the story, it seemed a bit juvenile to me (um yes, because that’s who it’s aimed it) but it didn’t take long at all for me to become engrossed in the story.
I am determined to add “blubberless rectangle watchers” to my vocabulary, because I think it’s the most hilarious phrase ever invented. I even dog-eared the page where that was mentioned so I could go back and re-read it. One other part that stuck out to me enough to make me dog-ear the page was when Meg was telling Willa a story and she said “…he couldn’t stop asking himself what would happen…if he didn’t get involved.” That really resonated with me. Instead of not acting out of a fear of what might happen to us, why don’t we think more about what might happen (to someone else, or even us) if we DON’T get involved. Definitely a good lesson that we can all learn from.
I’m really looking forward to passing this book on to my kids. I hope they will enjoy it as much as I have.