Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher- ALA Banned and Challenged Book

I had read a Chris Crutcher book whist in high school and forgot how much I love his style of writing and Whale Talk did not disappoint.

While trying to keep a friend from being bullied, and to prove a point in a small city's high school, The Tao Jones (pronounced The Dow Jones), challenges himself and a handful of other misfits from the school to start a swimming team to earn, ultimately, letters.

TJ prides himself on being one of the only people of colour in his high school and is often verbally assaulted for being part African-America, part Caucasian, and part Japanese. He also prides himself on being tough to get onto sports teams. Thanks to a past of physical and emotional abuse, TJ's anger management issues deter him from teaming up with any athletic club at school, to much annoyance of the coaches. He changes his mind shortly after witnessing the school bully picking on a mentally handicapped student who wears his deceased brother's letterman jacket, stating it is school policy that only people who have earned their letters be allowed to wear the jackets.

TJ bands together a fat kid, a one-legged jock, a motormouth, a mentally different friend, and himself to form the school's first swim team in years. Together, the team not only challenge themselves physically, but also emotionally when they boys create an almost awkward friendship with each other and their obscure coaches, showing that, no matter the background, anyone can be a letterman.

Below are reasons why this book has been challenged over and over. Knowing where this fictional town is located in Washington State, I have no doubts that the raciest remarks and abuse coul dbe every-day for a person of colour. The language in the book, I feel, is normal teenager language when adults are not around to hear. I don't agree with the pulling of the books for these reasons because Whale Talk is such a good book for reluctant or slow readers. It also teaches teens how to stand up for others and how to make lasting friendships.

I would recommend this book to reluctant and low-level readers and any reader who loves a good sports book.


2004-2005
Whale Talk. Greenwillow. Removed from all
five Limestone County, Ala. high school libraries (2005)
because of the book’s use of profanity. Removed from the
suggested reading list for a pilot English–literature curriculum
by the superintendent of the South Carolina Board of
Education (2005). Challenged at the Grand Ledge,


2005-2006
Whale Talk. Greenwillow.
Removed from all five Limestone County,
Ala. high school libraries (2005) because of the
book’s use of profanity. Removed from the suggested
reading list for a pilot English-literature
curriculum by the superintendent of the South
Carolina Board of Education (2005). Challenged
at the Grand Ledge, Mich. High School
(2005). Source:


2006-2007
Challenged at theMissouri Valley, Iowa High School (2007) because the book uses racial slurs and profanity


2007-2008
Challenged
at the Missouri Valley, Iowa High School (2007) because
the book uses racial slurs and profanity. Challenged as an
optional reading in a bullying unit at the Lake Oswego,
Oreg. Junior High School (2007) because the novel is
"peppered with profanities, ranging from derogatory slang
terms to sexual encounters and violence." Students are
given a list of book summaries and a letter to take to their
parents. Four of the eight optional books offered are
labeled as having "mature content/language." Source: May
2007, p. 98; July 2007, p. 149.
de Haan, Linda, and Stern Nijland.