The Song of the Whales (review)

Born in America, eleven-year-old Michael moves to Israel with his family when his parents decide they need to be closer to Michael's elderly grandfather. While Michael's sad to leave behind the craftsmen he considers his friends (he doesn't care much for his age-mates, who fight or break things), he soon finds a boon companion in his grandfather, who's delighted by Michael's interest in the creative and mechanical. Michael's grandfather soon lets his grandson in on his deep secret—he can take others with him on dream journeys—and the two become closer than ever by sharing this mystical gift. Israeli author Orlev is best known in this country for his historical fiction; this is a very different work indeed, operating more in the realm of magical realism with its daytime reality serving as an extension of the fantastical dream excursions. The fantasy outings are, however, variable both in interest level and logic (why does Michael need to learn to ride a bike in real life to work one in the dream when he could operate a dream crane with ease?), and they don't have much real-life plot payoff (they may have finally garnered Michael a same-age friend, but it's a pretty mild conclusion for such an elaborate proceeding). There's little exploration of character or dynamics, despite some complexities that could make for fruitful territory, and scant energy in the realistic part of the plot; as a result, this reads more like an allegory than a tale with its importance on the literal level, but there's no evidence that a more symbolic reading would garner more payoff, especially for the more junior readers who are the slender volume's likeliest audience. Youngsters looking for fantastical family traits will be better served by Ingrid Law's Savvy (BCCB 9/08), and those interested in the dream theme should just reread The BFG.