How to Speak Dolphin

March 1, 2015
Is dolphin-assisted therapy so beneficial to patients that it's worth keeping a wild dolphin captive?Twelve-year-old Lily has lived with her emotionally distant oncologist stepfather and a succession of nannies since her mother died in a car accident two years ago. Nannies leave because of the difficulty of caring for Adam, Lily's severely autistic 4-year-old half brother. The newest, Suzanne, seems promising, but Lily is tired of feeling like a planet orbiting the sun Adam. When she meets blind Zoe, who will attend the same private middle school as Lily in the fall, Lily's happy to have a friend. However, Zoe's take on the plight of the captive dolphin, Nori, used in Adam's therapy opens Lily's eyes. She knows she must use her influence over her stepfather, who is consulting on Nori's treatment for cancer (caused by an oil spill), to free the animal. Lily's got several fine lines to walk, as she works to hold onto her new friend, convince her stepfather of the rightness of releasing Nori, and do what's best for Adam. In her newest exploration of animal-human relationships, Rorby's lonely, mature heroine faces tough but realistic situations. Siblings of children on the spectrum will identify with Lily. If the tale flirts with sentimentality and some of the characters are strident in their views, the whole never feels maudlin or didactic.Dolphin lovers will appreciate this look at our complicated relationship with these marine mammals. (Fiction. 10-13)

March 1, 2015

Gr 4-7-Lily has little time for friends or activities since her life seems to revolve around her half-brother, Adam, who has autism. Life has not been easy. Her stepfather, Don, doesn't acknowledge that Adam needs to attend a special school, and Lily has yet to get over the grief of losing her mother in a car accident two years ago. When Don, an oncologist, receives a call about assisting with a young dolphin who has cancer, he eagerly agrees to help. Adam has a strong attachment to dolphins, and Don thinks this will be the panacea to cure all his troubles. Adam quickly bonds with the dolphin Nori, but Lily begins to suspect that life in captivity in a marine mammal park is not the best scenario for Nori. Rorby paints a vivid picture of life with a child with autism and the struggles a family can face. VERDICT This book will raise questions about the ethics of marine life attractions and leave readers rooting for Lily, an appealing narrator.-Beth Cuddy, Seward Elementary School, Auburn, NY

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2015
Grades 4-7 Lily's half brother's autism rules her life. Ever since her mother died, her stepfather has been reluctant to get a diagnosis for Adam, and Lily is expected to make sure he doesn't have any meltdowns. One of the only things that calms Adam is dolphins. When a chance arises for Adam to swim with Nori, a dolphin recently brought into captivity, Adam and Nori immediately bond. Lily knows that being with Nori makes Adam happy, but she also sees that spending her life in captivity isn't what's best for the dolphin. Lily must decide what's more importanther brother's happiness or trying to save an animal that needs her help. While navigating this dilemma, Lily researches the potential for dolphin therapy to help her brother, and her stepfather reaches a better understanding of Adam's disorder. There are many issues packed into this book, but Rorby handles them well, weaving topics together and offering feasible resolutions. Perfect for readers looking for a book about animals in captivity or tweens making a difference.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
When Lily's autistic, mute younger brother Adam makes a connection with a sick dolphin at a theme park, it seems like a breakthrough--until Lily and her friend Zoe see that the captive dolphin's situation is the result of animal cruelty. The novel is brave and unflinching as it confronts difficult topics such as coping with disability, accepting a parent's death, and standing up for animal rights.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)