THREE BLUE HEARTS by Lynne Kelly

I first heard about Lynne Kelly’s award-winning middle grade book Song for a Whale a few years ago, and I’ve always been fascinated by the 52 Hertz Whale. I’m thrilled to report that Lynne Kelly has a new book, THREE BLUE HEARTS, that stars an octopus. Have a look:

Max can’t seem to escape the big, looming shadow of his politician dad. But for the next few months, Max and his mom are going away to a quiet Texas beach town where Max can be someone else. Someone who doesn’t make dumb mistakes that embarrass his father—someone who knows how to be strong.

He stumbles on his fresh start right away, when he finds an injured octopus washed up onshore after a storm. With the help of a local wildlife center and a couple of new friends, Max rescues the octopus—who they name Ursula—and vows to take care of her until she’s ready to return to the sea.

But as their bond deepens and Max makes unexpected discoveries that turn his summer upside down, Max’s true strength will be put to the test. Can he keep his promise after all?

I love the picture of your dogs, Abigail and Eloise, that you have on your website. Do you think either of your dogs might one day make it into one of your stories?

Oh yes, the duo known as The Sisters McToot! I have thought about putting them in a chapter book series. (I’d love to write some chapter books, but for some reason I find them so hard to write!). Fourteen-year-old tripawd Eloise is really good at digging under fences and taking off like a tiny greyhound, so I think she’d be fun to follow on adventures.

Definitely! I’m intrigued by Max’s journey in THREE BLUE HEARTS. In what ways is he similar to Iris in Song for a Whale?

I hadn’t thought much about their similarities, but they both have compassion for animals, and their inner journeys have to do with finding the strength to speak up. They also both have conflicts with parents and at school, though we don’t see that on the page in Max’s story.

Finding the strength to speak up is such an important theme, especially in middle grade books! However, some people are saying that middle grade acquisitions in publishing are experiencing a bit of a lull. What is your take on this?

It is discouraging to see dips in acquisitions and in the market, but it helps to remember that these things go in waves. Chasing trends doesn’t work out well, since a book’s publication journey is usually a few years long, and what’s popular now might not be popular in the coming years. There’s so much in this industry we can’t control, so the best thing we can do is work on our craft and write the stories we’re passionate about, and write for different ages and genres so we have a variety of projects can help us ride those waves.

Excellent advice! What are some of your current projects?

I’m not sure what will be out next, but I’m working on a couple of different things, both fiction and nonfiction. I’m figuring out the next middle grade novel and a picture book. I can tell you that both have to do with sharks!

Order THREE BLUE HEARTS