John's Whistle

K-Gr 2—John is different from all the other children in his neighborhood. He has never learned to talk but whistles to communicate instead. John manages to get his ideas across by varying the kind of whistle he uses, much like a baby alters her cry for different needs. His parents and friends accept this unique talent. At school, John's classmates love to hear him whistle and imagine what he is saying with each tune. The boy's friend Taleb also doesn't speak much but draws very well and plays the bendir (a type of drum). They make joyous music together. The narrative becomes convoluted when the friends both fall for a classmate, Claire. The story veers off topic with the introduction of the little girl and the damage it does to the boys' relationship. John plays with her in the woods and utters his first word when he loses her in a game of hide-and-seek, which causes him to yell her name. The protagonist's ability is held up as something unique and wonderful, but he partially abandons it, leaving readers unsure of the book's message. The stylized art features paper-cut sheet music and large size figures, but the horizontal page orientation makes it a difficult work to manage in storytime. Overall, children won't be drawn to this innocuous tale.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA