The Music of Dolphins

"The Music of Dolphins", by Karen Hesse, is a children's book that follows the story of Mila (translated as Spanish for "miracle", although this is inaccurate), a feral child raised by a pod of dolphins around the Florida Keys and Caribbean.

The novel uses a narrative structure that parallels Mila's increasing comprehension of English. At the novel's opening, when Mila is with the dolphins and cannot speak English, the story is told from a neutral third person (Mila's POV) perspective. The text moves to simple English as the protagonist learns human language, becomes more complex as her emotions increase, reverts to simple English when she yearns for the dolphins again, and finally goes back to the third person perspective.

Though the novel is fiction, it is based on real-life experiences of those who have worked with feral children.

Plot

Mila is discovered on a cay (where her "family" of dolphins were playing and feeding near) by a trio of men in a helicopter and is taken to a clinic for feral children like her.

The person in charge of her rehabilitation is a woman named Doctor Elizabeth Beck and Mila is raised as a foster child. As she learns to become human, she also must learn socially conventional behavior as she develops relationships with Shay, a fragile feral child who grew in solitary confinement in the woods; Justin, Dr. Beck's son who Mila falls in love with; Sandy, who helps Mila at the research facility and is also very understanding; and Mr. Aradondo, a janitor at the facility, whom reminds Mila of her grandfather.

Mila develops conflicting feelings concerning her own happiness and her own true nature. She in the end has to decide which she will choose, normal life, or life with the dolphins.

Characters

Mila: The protagionist of the story, a girl raised by dolphins. While on a cay, she is captured and taken to a research facility, where she is taught to be human.

Shay: A friend of Mila, a little girl. Shay was said to be kept in solitary confinement in Idaho and possibly, she was there longer before Mila showed up.

Justin: Doctor Beck's son

Doctor Beck: The Doctor in charge of taking care of Mila

Mr. Aradondo: A janitor at the facility where Mila is kept

Sandy: A friend of Dr. Beck's.

Doctor Troy and Doctor Peach: Colleagues of Doctor Beck, who also help with Mila and Shay.

Trivia

When we see the newspaper article in the story, the date of the article says December 5.

External links

* [http://us.macmillan.com/author/karenhesse Karen Hesse's page on Macmillan.com]