Publisher's Synopsis
The story opens near San Francisco's Golden Gate bridge as teenager Jimmy and his family cast their lines and his sister SARAH catches a fish. Suddenly, the boat heaves violently pushed into the air by a WHALE. Father Brad worries the encounter was too close for comfort - as Jimmy notices the whale's seemingly personal attack. Later, the family - along with mom Pam - enjoys time on a tour boat and at the same time nearby, an oil tanker spills clear liquid from a hose into the ocean. A whale with red eyes leaps from the water and glares at Brad. Jimmy realizes the Red Eyed whale believes his father is responsible for the oil spill. Later, as Jimmy watches a whale being aggressive toward people, his phone rings - playing Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries. The whale calms and swims away ... leaving Jimmy astounded. Can he communicate with whales by using music? Jimmy tries to explain what he experienced to his sister and mom, but they're not on board with his imaginative descriptions. Jimmy continues to experiment with different ways to communicate with whales. He also asks his teacher Mrs. Yagami what could happen to whales who came into contact with toxic chemicals. It wouldn't be good-- Mrs. Yagami, (has an intimate knowledge of whales as she was named after the named after a Japanese whaling town that spearheaded the development of more sophisticated whaling techniques in the 17th century) - because of this, and her guilt attached to her Namesake's name and the brutality against whales, she does everything in her power to help Jimmy. Meanwhile, on the ASL China, captain Brad - Jimmy's dad - sees a whale stalking them in the water and he tells hiscrew to maintain course and speed. The red-eyed whale will not be deterred. Next, Jimmy takes a contraption he created to the beach, where a lifeless whale has come up on shore. In front of news cameras, Jimmy plays his music - and thewhale's fin lifts and falls. When asked to do it again, however, it doesn't work, and Jimmy is dejected. Onboard the ASL China, whales now push the boat aggressively - Brad and his crew are in danger. Jimmy gets onto a ferry and attempts to use his communication instrument and explains he believes the whales are out for revenge on his father. Mrs Yagami joins jimmy on a ferry boat into the bay as his father ship enters. She will do anything to help and shows up wearing a ceremonial Shinto dress. The song doesn't work, and Jimmy is terrified for his father - until mom Pam suggests trying to use whale soundsagainst the whales. Mrs Yagami offers ceremonial tea and throws lotus blossoms into the Bay and prays with Jimmy and family to the gods. Jimmy loads in sounds of killer whales - and the other whales run for cover, retreating from the ASL China. The story ends as the family and Mrs Yagami visits together at a restaurant ... and Jimmy has changed his ringtone to a killer whale noise. A whale surfaces and goes quietly out of the Tiburon cove.