An award-winning author for young adults, Lynne is a strong advocate for inclusion and self-advocacy. As a special education teacher and sign language interpreter, she has addressed loneliness and inclusiveness in her book " Song for a Whale” where the main protagonist is the only deaf girl in the school and feels no one is listening to her. The girl takes us along on her quest to help a whale call ‘Blue 55’ who is not able to communicate with other whales and is nicknamed the lonely whale. The book has found its way onto numerous reading lists and has won awards including Parents Choice Award, Horace Mann Upstanders Book Award and was named Best Book For Kids by New York Public Library.

What inspired you to come up with your book “Song For a Whale”?L: This book started with the whale. I found out about the existence of the real-life "lonely whale," the 52 hertz whale, who sings at a frequency much higher than other whales do. I was fascinated by this animal who's swimming around out there singing his own language.

How did you come up with the main character in your book, Iris? Which of her qualities do you love the most and why?L: I needed a character who'd feel a strong connection to the lonely whale-- someone who'd feel compelled to track him down to let him know someone out there hears his song. In my work as a sign language interpreter, I've met many students who are one of a few deaf kids in the school, or even the only one. Since that's my character Iris's experience, she feels like her life is like that whale's. They're both surrounded by others yet still isolated, since no one around them shares their language. It was important for me to show too that Iris doesn't feel sorry for herself and doesn't want to change who she is. She's a smart, funny, strong Deaf girl.

What can your audience gain by reading this book?L: Even though the book was published last year, it feels more timely now since we've all been experiencing some isolation and need more connection to others. The story has to do with the strength of a family, connections and communication, the importance of standing up for oneself, and of course, whales!

What kind of research and expertise helped you to write this book?L: The most important feedback was from Deaf adults; though I've worked as a sign language interpreter for a long time, I don't have the life experience that a Deaf person has. Two Deaf women read a draft of the novel to check for authenticity, to make sure I hadn't written anything incorrect or accidentally insensitive and that the story reflected a Deaf person's experience. A Deaf man I'd interpreted for when he was a college student also read the story and answered my questions about electronics and radio repair. Like Iris, he was a kid who could fix anything, and was especially interested in old radios and TVs.
For the whale research, I read all I could find about the 52 hertz whale, but all we know about him is that he has an unusual song. I also researched hybrid whales, since some people suspect the whale is a blue-fin hybrid. I wrote to a couple of the scientists who'd written about the 52 hertz whale and hybrid whales. Oh, and I got to go to Alaska! Soon after I started writing the story, I took on an assignment to interpret for some Deaf people going on an Alaskan cruise. In addition to being a great place to work for a week, I got to see the sights my characters would be visiting and sailing past. I did that job again a year later when I was revising the novel, which helped me work out some of the setting details.

What are some of the effective ways to address challenges for students with special needs?L: Of course the needs and challenges will vary with each individual student, but patience and communication are important across the board. One of Iris's frustrations in the book is that people talk around her, as if she isn't there. Students with special needs want to be seen and heard like anyone.

What is your suggestion for families of children with disabilities to empower their children?L: Include them in conversations (whenever possible and in age-appropriate ways) about their own care and education, so they don't be in the dark about what's happening or feel like the decisions about their lives will always be up to someone else. Model ways that their students can stand up for themselves. Adults who have the same disability would be the best experts on what works for self-advocacy.