"Mike Connelly doesn't fit in at school; he has a stutter that causes the other kids to tease him. His brothers stand up for him, but they can't always be there for him. Mike lives on an island called Key Biscayne off the coast of Florida, and the bay is populated by a group of dolphins. Mike feels a special affinity for the dolphins and gradually they learn the magic of communicating with each other. The garbled whispers turn into voices that Mike can understand.
When the dolphins take Mike to their secret place, he discovers something that could change the course of world history. The dolphins and their ancestors have protected their secret for centuries, and now Mike must keep his vow of silence. When Mike's friend and neighbor, Lucy Medina, is kidnapped and the villains leave no clues, Mike turns to the dolphins for help. But they must find her without revealing their subterranean secret.
I enjoyed the fantasy of being able to talk to another species, and the many adventures that the boy and the sea mammals shared... Mike being rescued from the sharks and then helping the dolphins solve some of their problems. Whispers From the Bay is a delightful story with plenty of action and suspense to keep young readers glued to the pages and characters that they will long remember."
Beverly J. Rowe - Myshelf.com's "Babes to Teens" Columnist
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"Young Mike Connelly has always felt a special connection to the dolphins that swim up and down the inlet past his family’s home in Key Biscayne, Florida. As the boy grows older, the connection intensifies until the garbled whispers inside his head develop into clear voices.
Eventually, Mike learns to communicate with these sea-dwelling mammals through his mind. When a near disaster almost claims the boy’s life, the dolphins take him to the very heart of their top-secret world. What Mike discovers there could change very course of history. “It is important you keep this a secret for now,” the dolphins tell him.
When Lucy Medina, neighbor and friend, is kidnapped from her home and hauled away by boat, there are no clues. As days pass with no leads, a frantic Mike turns to his aquatic allies for help. Will they find Lucy, and can they rescue her without revealing the secret?
Whispers from the Bay is the first novel in a forthcoming series of three known as “The Dolphin Chronicles.” Author John Tkac’s love for the sea and the playful dolphins who reside there resonates in his work, making for a realistic and exciting island adventure. Although it is billed as young adult reading, due to the age of the protagonist, it may work even better as an advanced middle grade novel.
Either way, it proves to be delightful read for all ages and anyone who has ever found themselves drawn to these amazing creatures. If you’ve swam with the dolphins or have dreamed of doing so, Whispers from the Bay is calling."
Niki Schoenfeldt - "Curled Up With A Good Kid's Book" Review
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"Big surprises lay ahead when Mike Connelly finds out he has a unique and extraordinary gift involving communicating with and helping the dolphins. He goes through many life-threatening adventures protecting his dolphin and human friends. He finds every adventure fascinating and exhilarating. Will Mike be able to keep this extreme secret from even his family? He gets even more stressed when he finds out the dolphins huge secret. How can he keep this all secret?
Mike is a young boy who lives in Florida. He stutters through words at school and gets laughed at. His two brothers, Will and Bob, try to defend him as much as they can. He is safe at home but he feels at home the most when he is near the dolphins. They talk to each other with their minds so Mike never has to stutter through words. He is very comfortable with this. His neighbor, Carmen, can't talk to the dolphins, but senses them trying to talk to her. The dolphins protect Mike from sharks, and Mike helps the dolphins with many of their problems, too. Mike discovers new interests from the dolphins as well as the dolphins finding new interests from him. Mike and the dolphins learn from each other every day.
This book is like a recipe. If you mix together the adventures, the surprises, the love, the melancholy, the contentment, and most importantly, the people and animals, you get an excellent book, a book that you will remember forever.
I can relate to this book well because I have a passion for dolphins. This book is from a series, so I would love to read the next one, and so on from there. I would like to see John Tkac write another series about whales, for whale lovers. I love this type of genre. In the end, Mike has a choice: to continue helping the dolphins in secret, or to reveal to the world everything that he has learned. I rate the book a 5 out of 5. "Whispers from the Bay" by John Tkac is excellent in every way, and it is a story that anybody will enjoy."
Reader Views - Brenna Bales (Age 11)
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"Mike Connelly is a special little boy living on Key Biscayne Island off the coast of Miami. Although Mike is usually a quiet boy who doesn't like to talk because he stutters, he has a unique connection to dolphins that allows him to communicate with them in his mind so he can talk freely with them. Through this connection Mike and his dolphin friends find adventure and a deep, loyal friendship. When a dolphin is in trouble, Mike runs to try and save it-and in return when Mike finds himself in danger, the dolphins race to his aide. Mike also discovers a secret known only to the dolphins that he must protect at all cost, and some day this secret may change the course of the world. That is a big task for a little boy. Can Mike live up to it?
This is a very interesting story. If you could talk to dolphins would you be able to keep it a secret? That is what Mike must do to keep the dolphins (and probably himself) safe from people who would exploit or misunderstand his gift. Mike is a personable little boy and I was fascinated by all the information about dolphins and the idea that he could talk with the dolphins. I loved that the dolphins loved books and ask Mike to read to them as often as he could.
This story is supposed to be the first book of a five-book series, and I think it is off to a good start. Mike and the dolphins find a lot of things to explore and trouble to get into, which makes for some adventurous times. Hints are planted through the story to tease the reader with what may be coming next in another book and hopefully readers won't have a long wait for the next installment!
I am always searching for books that interest kids in reading and this is a good candidate for kids who like animal stories, nature stories, or dolphins."
Armchair Interviews - Stephanie Boyd
Interesting Read For Middle Readers (10-14)
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"Speaking to dolphins is one thing - discovering their secret is another. "Whispers from the Bay" follows Mike Connelly as he finds he has a connection with these sea mammals, and soon develops a method of communication with them. Through his adventures with his new found aquatic friends, everything seems fine as first, but he discovers something the dolphins want him to keep secret. Can he stay true to his word when faced with such knowledge? "Whispers from the Bay" is sure to please dolphin lovers, and is a top pick for community library fiction collections."
Midwest Book Review
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"The best book I have ever read. It's like Harry Potter from the Keys."
Mary Kate - 14 Year Old 8th Grader - Delray Beach, FLorida
"I got one book for my two boys. After they each read 20 pages they started fighting over who was going to read it next. My boys fighting over reading a book- AMAZING!"
Joe - Father of Four - Delray Beach, Florida
"Everyday I read to my class. They would not let me put 'Whispers' down."
Mike - 5th Grade School Teacher - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
"Your book is like 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' taken to the next level!"
Tim - 11 Year Old
"I started reading your book today and I feel like it is a brother or sister. I can't let go of it!"
Natalie - 5th Grader
