Whale Talk
Chris Crutcher
 The story takes place in Cutter High School, which prides itself heavily on the physical achievements of its students, and thrives on the winnings of the football and basketball teams. Many teachers there display favoritism toward star athletes, such as Mike Barbour, and turn a blind eye to the bullying that occurs, such as Barbour tormenting Chris Coughlin. Mr. Simet, a teacher, wants to start a swim team to avoid having to be an assistant coach for Wrestling. He encourages T.J., who formerly swam and was very talented, to join and recruit others. T.J. gets together six others to form a seven-man team: the mentally challenged Chris Coughlin; the obnoxious and extremely intelligent Dan Hole; the kind and talented bodybuilder/musician Tay-Roy Kibble; the rude and antagonistic Andy Mott; the quiet and generic Jackie Craig; and the obese Simon DeLong. All of them have predicaments, which they slowly reveal to each other as they grow to become friends. During the year, T.J. meets a little half-black girl named Heidi. Her step-dad is the drunkard Rich Marshall, who frequently abuses her and her mother, Alicia. T.J. helps his therapist, Georgia Brown, with Heidi, and they form a close bond.