ESC Trillium student says The River "is truly a great novel"

ESC Trillium High School student Sylvianne has this to say about The River:

"As a high school student finding a good book to read is very hard, but take my word when I say this is truly a great novel. From the very first page all the way to the last sentence, it captivated me. When you read this novel, make sure you have plenty of time, because to be honest I couldn’t put the book down...I am proud to say that this is a Canadian novel set in the wild Nahanni River in Northwest Territories. The novel is filled with suspense, excitement, love, science and a very bumpy adventure down the mysterious Nahanni River...Throughout this novel you will discover many unexpected twists...I really loved this novel and I recommend it to everyone."

Many thanks, Sylvianne. I'm so glad you enjoyed my novel. :-) CKT

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

ESC Trillium student says The River "is in my opinion unbeatable and one of my favorites"

A grade 12 class at ESC Trillium High School in Ontario, Canada, studied my thriller The River this year. I was fortunate to be in touch with the students and to answer their questions via a video conference. I know I had a blast and I hope they did too.

Their teacher Pam Morin and I decided to hold a contest. The students would write a book report and Mme Morin and I would judge them. It was a tough competition; all the book reports showed a lot of thought and some varying reactions.

However, the following report stood out for me because I felt Kasandra really "got" what I was after and she noticed the little things, such as the quotes I spent hours looking for so they'd be the perfect ones.

Here is a condensed version of Kasandra's winning book report/review:

"I just finished reading The River by Cheryl Kaye Tardif, for my grade twelve pre-university reading assignment this year. And I must say that I truly enjoyed reading this novel. It was full of suspense, action, love, adventure, science and mystery. Let’s just say I was very impressed by this memorable novel...Ever since I studied The River, I discovered my interest in reading more of Cheryl Kaye Tardif’s books. The next novel on my list would definitely be Whale Song.

I loved the fact that we were reading a Canadian author’s novel, and that the story took place in Canada. I felt as if I could make a connection with this novel compared to other novels that I had to read in the past years. It was also great knowing that I could communicate with the author by e-mail if ever I had any questions about the novel or such.

The River was a great thrilling adventure that had me wanting to read more. It also had a little love story that fit in to the novel perfectly. I could also visualize everything that I was reading even with all the mystery and action going on. With that being said I think this novel would make an awesome movie...I must say that this novel was indeed the first novel that I didn’t want to put down, and this is coming from someone who doesn’t normally enjoy reading for a pastime. I also liked how this novel wasn’t too long to read.

I loved everything about this novel even the littlest things, such as the quotes at each part of the novel. For example, my favorite quote was: "When you arrive at your future, will you blame your past?” -Robert Half. This quote really makes me think. I also think that it was a great opportunity for my classmates as well as myself and my teacher to be able to read this novel, because of the interaction in-between Cheryl Kaye Tardif and my teacher. That was for sure a bonus. So far this novel is in my opinion unbeatable and one of my favorites yet. And I’ll always remember that “Life’s a journey!”

Congratulations, Kasandra, on winning a triple pack of signed novels: The River, Divine Intervention and a signed collector's copy of Whale Song. I really hope you enjoy all of my novels. :-) CKT

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

E.S.C. Trillium High School student says THE RIVER "kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it"

Over the past month or so, grade 12 students from E.S.C. Trillium High School in Chapleau, Ontario, studied my thriller The River. It's been a lot of fun for the teacher Pam Morin, her students and me, especially since we've kept in touch, were able to do video conferencing and I felt like I was part of the class. Thank you, Pam!

Over the next few days I'm going to post bits from some of the students' reports/reviews, and I have to say, these young adults really "got" what I was saying. The River is a techno-thriller, part Mission Impossible, part adventure, part history...and so much more.

Michel, one of the students, has this to say about The River:

"The River is a sort of thriller type novel that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it...the action starts right at the beginning of the novel, when Arnold Shroeder shows up and informs Del that her father’s still alive...cool how the author incorporates the character descriptions into the story without overloading the readers with useless information...I couldn’t believe how interesting she made their search through the Nahanni regions sound...I found the end of the novel very climactic. I seriously couldn’t put the book down...The River was an awesome book that I would recommend to my family and my friends."

Thank you, Michel, for allowing me to post your review! :-)

High School teachers: If you'd like to bring The River into your school as a novel study, drop me a line. I love interacting with students. I find it encourages students to read even more and it gives them an experience I hope they'll remember for a long time. I know I will.

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif

ESC Trillium student: "The River by Cheryl Kaye Tardif is the first book that I couldn’t put down

Here's another review/book report I received from Angèle, a student in grade 12 at ESC Trillium High School:

“The River” by Cheryl Kaye Tardif is the first book that I couldn’t put down...“The River” is filled with a thrilling adventure and a love story which really interested me...the novel kept me on the edge of my seat right from the beginning. There was no time wasted, the action started right away and the story did not drag. Everytime I would put the book down my mind would keep wondering about what could possibly happen. The novel always surprised me with new and shocking events...Since I question myself alot so I think that “The River” could have a sequal or even a movie. The movie would be an action pack type of movie which would really interest me."

Thank you, Angèle. I appreciate everything you've said here. ~CKT

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

ESC Trillium student says "The River starts off with a big bang!"

Michelle, a student at ESC Trillium has this to say about The River:

"I wasn’t much of a reader until this year...To me, reading a book has to be interesting throughout the whole story line. The River starts off with a big bang! Which is very interesting because it gets you into the story right away. The action starts right at the beginning...In this novel, The River, I never got bored of it. It was the kind of book that I could not put down. I kept wanting to read it because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Some parts were very shocking to me. Which grasped my attention and made me want to continue on turning the pages...I would recommend The River to not only students of high school but also to older people because I believe the novel is well written, has great vocabulary, easy to follow and has a good sence of maturity for those age groups. It makes you want to read it all over again. All in all, the novel was amazing and I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to start reading Cheryl Kaye Tardif’s other novels..."

Thank you, Michelle. I am so glad you liked The River! CKT

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

ESC Trillium student wins a Chapters gift card with her Whale Song review

ESC Trillium is a high school in Ontario that has been incorporating two of my novels--WHALE SONG and THE RIVER into their English novel study curriculum. This has been a very rewarding experience for me. I've been able to speak with the students during Skype conferences and read their critiques or reviews. From what I hear from their teacher Pam Morin, this has been a great experience for the students too.

Last year, students studied WHALE SONG and I decided to hold a contest. The winner would receive a Chapters gift card. Students would submit their critique and I was the judge. It wasn't easy picking a winner from all the great entries, but in the end I had to give the prize to the one student whom I thought really got all the messages and themes in WHALE SONG.

And the winner is...JULIE. Here is her entry (I have edited out all spoilers)...

After reading the novel Whale Song, I can safely say that I loved the book. I liked the way every character played an important part in the book, no matter how often they appear. I also loved the native legends that were mentioned, because they can be applicable to everyday life. A perfect example of one of the native legends I really like, would be the legend of Seagull, because it applies to everyday life and helps to deal with difficult situations, such as death. 

This novel stirred up a lot of emotions, I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I could feel what Sarah felt. Whale Song is certainly a good novel to read in an 11 grade English class, because it deals with issues that we are old enough to comprehend, and we are not to old to no longer understand all of Sarah’s feelings. As you age, you tend to forget how you felt as a youth, but when you are closer to that age, you tend to remember the feelings you felt, such as Sarah’s crush on Adam, Sarah’s strong friendship with Amber-Lynn, Sarah’s friendship with Goldie, etc. Adults tend to put less emphasis on their friends and more on their life and jobs. 

Another thing I like in the novel would be the love of a parent... My favourite character in Whale Song would certainly be Nana, because of her spiritual beliefs and powers. She really would be a fascinating woman to meet. She helped Sarah get through the loss of her mother, by telling her multiple native legends. She always knew exactly what to say and when to say it. 

Finally, I love the way we find out [the] big secret in the end...[which] adds an unexpected twist to the story.  I was not in any way expecting that. Whale Song is a great novel, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a good book.   --Julie

Congratulations on winning my contest, Julie. Thank you for sharing with me and my readers how you felt when reading Whale Song.

ESC Trillium student says The River would "make a great movie"

Here's another review/book report from Dan, an ESC Trillium student:

"The River was one of those books that I could not put down. It was a very interesting thriller...all of the characters are introduced and described very well...also very descriptive, I could visualise every event and every place mentioned in the book...Although time travel is hard to explain in an original way, I think that it was well done. Furthermore I think this book would also make a great movie one day...this book was very interesting and kept me in suspense for most of the story. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys thrillers."

Thanks, Dan. I'm glad you enjoyed it and I'm glad my novel made you think. :-) CKT

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

ESC Trillium student says: "I really enjoyed The River"

Nathan, from ESC Trillium has this to say about The River, the novel he studied in school:

"The River is a very interesting novel right from the start it catches your attention and keeps you hooked. It accomplishes this by being very suspenseful throughout the book even more so by the end of it...the characters are well developed creating a emotional attachment towards the characters, allowing for an even deeper emersion. It’s not only the characters that are detailed since the whole novel is very detailed and descriptive. In my opinion the ending of a novel is often where a great novel can seem to fall apart, this is not the case with The River since it has, in my opinion, a great ending that delivers...I really enjoyed The River and found it so hard to put down...I would recommend it to any of my friends, and to anyone who thinks they would like a great thriller that has a story targeted towards a more adult audience."

Thank you for your comments, Nathan. It's great to see you really 'got' my novel. :-) CKT

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

Another review from an ESC Trillium student

Students at ESC Trillium High School in Ontario studied Whale Song last year and as part of their novel study, they wrote reviews of my novel. I'm printing them here with their permission. Please keep in mind that many of these students do not speak English as a first language, but French.

Here's a critique from one of the young men in the class:

I will be totally and truly honest on what I think of the story that is told in Whale Song. I think that this story is a good one because there are a lot of little details that are based on true story. A lot of people can identify their self to the story or even just to one part of the story. I loved the story in general but I disliked all the parts where they were in the hospital because it remember me bad memories. I’m sure that there’s a lot of people that had a flashback reading this story because the author is able to write so well that we can feel what the characters feel. 

That book have taken a long time before being finished but at least the book was well done. I think that when Sarah saved her bully from the drown and after that they have became friends isn’t reflecting the reality. I know that this part of the story is essential but I wouldn’t have put this solution to bullying in this story. I would have make both girls drown and being saved by Goldie and she would be asked what she want and, that would be the peace between those two girls. 

One other thing that I liked is that there’s suspense...That book is good for people of our age because there is a lot of issue that we face as teenagers that are present in the story. --Kevin

Thank you so much, Kevin, for all your comments here. I'm glad you enjoyed Whale Song. One of the great things about being a writer is that I can allow my characters to tell ME the story, and that's what I've done here. Happy reading!

Whale Song review: "Cheryl Kaye Tardif will leave you overwhelmed with emotions"

Here's another Whale Song review from an ESC Trillium student. ESC students studied Whale Song as part of their English studies. My novel has been used as part of the curriculum for a couple of years now, along with my thriller The River.

Here's Mélanie's critique:

Whale Song is a book that opens new emotions...you feel the emotions of joy, sadness, anger, sympathy, and frustration, all in one book of 22 chapters. In all the emotions you feel in this book it is really impossible not to show them, because they just explode and you don’t want to keep them bottled up inside you. Whale Song is really appropriate for kids be coming of age, in their teens and for adults of any age, the emotions are the same.

In this book you can see many different themes like euthanasia, bullying and racism. Usually when there are many themes, it is too much to handle and understand, but in Whale Song you can understand the different themes and keep in to mind the meaning of them. Cheryl Kaye Tardif really represented the themes well in this book because if she didn’t you wouldn’t be able to feel the sadness...you wouldn’t have felt the joy within Sarah and Goldie’s friendship, the anger you feel when Annie bullies Sarah and how you want to go and stop her, but at the same time you wouldn’t feel the sympathy for Annie...with Sarah you wouldn’t feel the frustration, because she doesn’t remember and she doesn’t want to remember, but if she did remember...maybe the story wouldn’t have went as far as it did.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif will leave you overwhelmed with emotions. This book will leave you with a smile, on your face and in your heart. --Mélanie

Thank you so much for your review, Mélanie. I appreciate everything you've said.

Fan mail from a teenaged boy in BC who loved The River

Every now and then I get a piece of fan mail that really tugs on my heart and fills me with gratitude. This morning I received one such email, and I've received permission to post it here.

Dear Ms. Tardif,

Hello! My name is Cliff. I am 15 year old and live in Nanaimo, BC Canada. I just finished your novel "The River" and wanted to tell you that i really loved it. I think you are an awesome writer and can't wait to read more of your work. I'm honestly not much of a reader and it normally it takes me a long time to actually finish a novel, but I read "The River" in only five days. That is a record for me! Your writing really grabbed my attention and made me want to continue reading. I'm actually kind of shocked that I could get so much enjoyment out of reading. I want to thank you for that!

Anyways I was wondering if it would be possible to get an autographed bookplate? Or would it be possible to send you my copy of "The River" and have you sign it? I'm not sure how it works, but I could send you a money order or a self addressed stamped envelope if you'd like. Just let me know. I'd truly consider it a great honor to have your autograph!

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Cliff

Anyone who has ever received fan mail before will be able to identify with how this email made me feel. It's one thing to write a novel that adults have embraced, but it's particularly meaningful to me to have written one that inspires teenagers to read--probably because it makes me think of myself as a teen writer dreaming about getting published.

Cliff is one of many teens who have discovered my work in the past few years. A while ago, I blogged about ESC Trillium high school students who used The River and Whale Song as a novel study project this year and last. The first batch of readers wrote me awesome reviews for The River that I also posted here.

And in case anyone's wondering, I feel honored by such fan mail. That anyone would take the time to email me about my novels is hugely rewarding and touching.

Cliff, I am very happy to send you a signed bookplate. I've also added a couple of bookmarks. :-) I am so honored to have written a novel that opened your eyes to the pleasures of reading! And thank you from the bottom of my heart for your email.

"Whale Song is an extraordinary story"

Check out this critique from another ESC Trillium student who studied Whale Song in her Grade 11 English class.

Whale Song is a story about a little girl who faces a lot of obstacles in her life. Even though she gets hurt a couple of times, she has friends and family to help her get through it and that is the reason why I loved that book. 

This book tells us a lot about Sarah who is in her teenage years. Yet she moves into a new town, she meets new people, she gets bullied...She hits a lot of bumps in the road. But thanks to Goldie’s friendship and Nana’s native stories, Sarah learns more and more about life and you can see that she grows up and making decisions. 

There’s a lot of emotions behind it all like sadness, happiness, anger etc. Whale Song also teaches you that you will get some bumps in the road, but you have to keep going and finish the life that you started...Whale Song is an extraordinary story. The feelings inside the character’s are moving. You can see them growing and changing. This story is what can happen during a teenager’s life. 

I can read this story over and over again since I’m a teenager and there’s a lot of things that we go through like relationships, bullying, friendship and a lot of feelings that we discover. Teenager are kids that are growing up to become someone that they want to be. This book can get you thinking about feelings. --Jade

Thank you, Jade. This is an awesome review and I can tell Whale Song reached you where I wanted it to--your emotions.

Whale Song Reaches Out to Kids Who Are Bullied

I always love sharing my writing experiences and my books. Especially when the topic is timely, universal and sadly, never-ending.

And that topic is...bullying. I am sure you know someone who has been bullied. Maybe you were, as a child. Maybe your son or daughter was or is being bullied.

Just days ago, a new edition of my international bestseller, WHALE SONG, was released in a special School Edition. This edition contains a detailed discussion guide at the back. It’s something that any school teacher can use or readers can use on their own.

WHALE SONG explores issues of racism and bullying, among others, and it has been used in schools and book clubs around the world. It is one of my biggest dreams to see my “heart book” in even more schools. One teacher from ESC Trillium in Ontario, Canada, has used this book for novel study for a few years now. You can read what some of her students had to say about WHALE SONG on my blog HERE.

So what’s WHALE SONG about?

Thirteen years ago, Sarah Richardson’s life was shattered after the tragic death of her mother. The shocking event left a grief-stricken teen-aged Sarah with partial amnesia.

Some things are easier to forget.

But now a familiar voice from her childhood sends Sarah, a talented mid-twenties ad exec, back to her past. A past that she had thought was long buried.

Some things are meant to be buried.

Torn by nightmares and visions of a yellow-eyed wolf and aided by creatures of the Earth and killer whales that call to her in the night, Sarah must face her fears and recover her memories―even if it destroys her.

Some things are meant to be remembered―at all cost.

Reviews:

New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice has this to say: "Whale Song is deep and true, a compelling story of love and family and the mysteries of the human heart...a beautiful, haunting novel."

"Moving...sweet and sad." ―Booklist

"I read Whale Song and loved it." ―actress Jodelle Ferland (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse)

"Tardif again leaves a lasting mark on her readers...Moving and irresistible." ―Midwest Book Review

The Discussion Guide:

When we were young, many of us were inspired by different books and authors. We learned about the invisible walls built by societies, and it’s my goal to tear apart the walls that separate bullies from victims by challenging readers to dig deep.

Here are some samples from the guide:

·     Sarah is bullied by Annie in school. Why do you think Annie picked on Sarah so much? What clues are there in the story that might lead you to conclusions about Annie’s life and her “reasons” for being a bully?

·       Sarah’s mom told her to find a way to forgive Annie. Do you think this was good advice?

·     Have you ever been bullied? How did that make you feel? Have you ever bullied someone else? Why? What kinds of bullying are there nowadays? How can we as a society (or school) prevent bullying?

I also have strong messages for those who have been bullied:

I was a bullied child. I was the chubby redhead in the back row, who was too shy to speak out and lacked self-confidence. I’ve experienced bullying just like Sarah did. Exactly like Sarah did. I did not fight back physically, though I tried to fight verbally. That rarely works out well. I’ve experienced racism too. I was a white child living in a small town, and the native Indians weren’t too happy about the whites. Like all kids, I had my friendship issues, my first love...and my second, and family problems.

But I survived. It gets better.

If you take nothing away from this guide than those two sentences above, I’ve fulfilled another goal.

If you are bullied or if you know someone who was or is, WHALE SONG is the perfect gift. But this novel is about so much more than that. It’s about family, relationships and boundless love. From my heart to yours, I wish you the very best and I hope you read my “heart book” and experience what others of all ages have told me changed their lives forever.

If you’re a teacher, I recommend you bring WHALE SONG into your classroom. It is perfect for any ages, 11-111.

Tell your friends and family about WHALE SONG. If you know a teacher, tell them. Whale Song could be swimming to a school near you in the future. And one of its greatest messages is this: Life gets better. Now that’s something every bully and victim needs to hear.

WHALE SONG is available in ebook edition for only $2.99 at Amazon and Smashwords (more retailers coming soon), and it will be available in trade paperback any day now on Amazon and more.

I invite you to check out my books at http://www.whalesongbook.com and http://www.cherylktardif.com.

Connect with me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cherylktardif

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheryl-Kaye-Tardif-novels/29769736630

"Whale Song is a very touching and very admirable novel"

Another critique from an ESC Trillium student, this time from a young man:

Whale Song is a very touching and very admirable novel that makes you want to just keep on reading and it keeps you interested throughout the whole book. The fact that there is many things that are going on at the same time usually causes a sense of confusion for the reader but in this case the story is very well written and that makes the novel exceptionally fun to read for almost any levels or readers and for people of all ages.

Out of all the books I have read this novel is one of the most interesting and fastest books I have read. The fact that at the end of every chapter that you read you want to know more and that is why the novel is very easy to read. Also the fact that this novel is not only adults or only for children makes it a great book for anyone to have no matter what type of person you are there is something in the book for everyone to like.

My opinion on this book is that everyone should read it. It’s not only a good book to read but it touches many aspects in real life that some people can refer too suck as assisted suicide if if they have someone in their family that is very sick. Even bullying. People can learn so many things from this novel because there is so many themes involved.

The biggest reason that I liked reading this book and that I finished it so fast is because i can refer to it and some parts relate to my life and any book that relates to someone’s life is worth reading and even if it isn’t related at all it is still very interesting. --Jeffrey 

Whale Song is currently only available as an ebook. You can read it on your PC, laptop, smartphone and select ereaders. Online retailers include Amazon's Kindle Store, KoboBooks, Smashwords and more.

Whale Song review: "Out of 1 to 10 I’d give this book a 10"

Here is another review from an ESC Trillium student. Most of the students in this class are French-Canadian hoping to improve their English skills.

The Whale Song book was a really good book. It was honestly the first book that I actually finished on my own because most of the time when I read books I just give up in the middle of it. It is now one of my favorites. But while I was reading Whale Song I just felt like I always wanted to read, I just wanted to keep reading to know what was gunna happen. That is probably the thing I love the most about reading books, is that while I’m reading I never wanna stop because I know that something interesting is going to happen. 

While I read books I don’t expect myself to get many different emotions towards it, but while I was reading Whale Song I got so many different emotions which where sad, happy, confused and more... Out of 1 to 10 I’d give this book a 10 and I do recommend this book to other people. The thing that bothered me the most is that I really wanted to know what was going to happen with Sarah and Adam, I figured that they just lived there life’s together and that they got married later on in there life, I felt like I never wanted this book to end. 

It is probably a book that I will read a couple of times and I won’t even mind. I heard that there was a movie coming out and I seriously can’t wait for it to come out if the movie is as good as the book this could possibly become like twilight, lol --Melissa

Whale Song is "the best book I ever read in school"

Here's another Whale Song review from an ESC Trillium student.

I read “Whale Song” by Cheryl Kaye Tardif in my grade 11 English class and I think that it was the best book I ever read in school. The characters were really charming. I loved the way that she used old native legends or even just a wise phrase at the beginning of the novel and came back to it later on. By doing that, I was able to connect to the story more than other books. The reason why I loved it so much was because we saw the main character’s whole journey and I really loved how the author never forgot about anything. At the end of the novel, there were no questions left except for “Is she gonna marry him?” I love how the author gave us the choice to finish it ourselves, if we want her to marry him or not.

I really want to have the book because I would love to re-read it and lend it to friends and family and let them read it. It’s a really awesome book and I really recommend it to everyone. It’s the kind of book that everybody can enjoy. There are so many different feelings. Some parts, you laugh and others you cry. I got really attached to the characters and when stuff happened, I was really sad, but it also makes you think how fast everything can turn around and ruin everything. 

When[Sarah] first moved to Canada, she had absolutely no idea of what was coming up. Her biggest problem was that she was leaving her best friend behind. It made me think that my parents are really precious and you really need to keep them close to you no matter what. Don’t ever let a little fight get in between you and your parents because you have absolutely no idea of what is coming up.

So all of this is to say that the book is awesome and I would definitely read it again. I would also love to read the other books that she wrote. If they are one quarter as good as “Whale Song”, they will be excellent. Cheryl Kaye Tardif really inspired me to continue with my work and to never give up. It's possible to share with the world a story, no matter how hard it may be. --Marie-Eve

Thank you, Marie-Eve. I really appreciate everything you wrote here. I am so glad you enjoyed my "heart book".

Whale Song "always leaves you wanting more"

Students from ESC Trillium High School in Ontario studied Whale Song last year, and here's another critique from a student there.

The novel Whale Song has been my favourite book read thus far during my high school career. From the minute I picked up Whale Song, I was hooked. The story develops at a good pace and always leaves you wanting more. The story that this novel recounts has aspects that everyone can relate to, from living through a move or the death of a loved one. 

The character of Sarah is very relatable to people of all ages because her age progresses throughout the novel.  Sarah also experiences many obstacles that a lot of people experience growing up, such as making new friends, facing a bully and finding your first love.  

I believe reading this novel in a grade 11 pre-university English class is very appropriate.  The novel does contain some material that can be very emotional and requires a certain maturity to comprehend. I would definitely recommend this book to family and friends; it was a very smooth read. Cheryl Kaye Tardif is a very gifted author and I cannot wait to read more of her novels. --Cailin

Thank you, Cailin. This is an awesome review and I can tell you really "got" Whale Song. :-)

Whale Song: "a very touching/heart warming book"

Here is the last critique or book review I received from a student at ESC Trillium. Robyn's class studied Whale Song for their English novel study.

After I read Whale Song in my grade 11 class let me tell you that it wasn’t what I expected at all. I believe it was an appropriate time to read this book because my age group is probably the most difficult time for anyone, even though any age could read this book. Honestly the cover made it seem like the book wouldn’t of been what it turned out to be. It was a very interesting book. 

You know how some books you need to read a few chapters before it to starts to get interesting? Well Whale Song caught my attention the second I started reading it. I just loved the fact one of the main points was about native legends. I would recommend this book to the people who are able to read. I think anyone would like this book because it’s about situations that everyone can go through. 

From someone who just wants to read a book to pass time or someone that’s going through a difficult time, it’s a good option. By reading this you can learn a variety of things such as the native culture and their legends, bullying, killer whales, etc. This novel is a very touching/heart warming book so before I strongly suggest anyone to read it I warn you that you might cry. More than once. --Robyn                                    

Robyn, I really appreciate your review and your warning to readers. I agree; they may need a small box of Kleenex when reading. ;-)

"I’ve never had a book affect me the way Whale Song affected me"

Here is another critique from an ESC Trillium student. I've removed any major spoilers.

Friendship, death and love are just a few of the things that were portrayed out of the book I read in my grade 11 class with Mme Pam. It was a wonderful book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a great book full of emotions.

Whale Song was an easy read so I believe we could have read it in grade 9 or 10, but I’m not complaining. The story was amazing, it’s wonderful how deep the emotion is behind the book. For example: When Goldie's brother was the boy who died trying to swim out to the island, the amazing friendship between Goldie and Sarah, Annie the bully, the friendship between Annie, Goldie and Sarah, the friendship between the Dixons and the Richardson’s.

I’ve never had a book affect me the way Whale Song affected me. Here are some examples of when the book affected me: ...when Adam came back in the story near the end of the book and when I found out why the book was called Whale Song.

I was so into the book that I finished it in 3 days. That’s a record for me because it usually takes me a long time before I finish a book. It was interesting from the beginning, that’s a good thing because when I find the beginning of a book boring, I probably wouldn’t read it. When you watch a really good movie, all the viewers will be “on the edge of their seat”, well that’s what I felt when I was reading Whale Song. The suspense was killing me, I just wanted to find out what was going to happen next.

For a long time, I imagined Sarah staying down for the rest of her life. So when Nana got into the car accident, I had mixed emotions, I was hoping that would help Sarah, but at the same time I was sad Nana was in a car accident. Nana was such a strong character...happy, loving and full of life even after the accident. Those are just a few of the reasons I enjoyed the novel Whale Song. --Katrina

Katrina's entry was a close second for the contest I held, in which the winning reviewer received a Chapters gift card for his or her review. Thank you, Katrina! I really enjoyed reading your critique.