The Music of Dolphins
The Music of Dolphins, by Karen Hesse, is a children's book that follows the story of Mila, a feral child raised by a pod of dolphins around the Florida Keys and Caribbean. "Mila" is an abbreviated form of the Spanish word milagro, meaning "miracle".
 First edition cover | |
| Author | Karen Hesse |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Greg Harlin |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children novel |
| Publisher | Scholastic Press |
Publication date | 1996 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 181 |
| ISBN | 0-590-89797-7 |
The novel uses a narrative structure that parallels Mila's increasing comprehension of the English language. At the novel's opening, when Mila is with the dolphins and cannot speak English , also cannot recognise who she is. The story is told from a neutral third person perspective, but from Mila's point of view. The text moves to simple English as Mila learns the language, becomes more complex as her emotions increase, reverts to simple English when she yearns for the dolphins and, finally, goes back to third person.
Although the novel is fiction, it is based on real life experiences of people who have worked with feral children.
Summary
Mila, a girl raised by dolphins, is discovered and captured on a cay and taken to a scientific research facility. She progresses quickly and meets Shay, who looks like Mila, another feral child, and thought that they were alike, two girls that are different from the people around them. Shay is a quiet girl. As more time passes, she falls in love with music and Doctor Beck's son Justin, and wonders why she progresses so quickly, yet Shay cannot. Shay is sent to another home, with another children. And Sandy explains to Mila that the feral children that have been studied, they have stopped progressing at a point, all except for Mila. Soon, Mila finds her newfound knowledge slipping away and becomes more dolphin again. She requests to be released back to the ocean and after some discussing among her caregivers, she was being returned to the ocean and reunites with her dolphin family.
Characters
Mila: The protagonist of the story, a girl raised by dolphins. She is captured on a cay and taken to a scientific research facility, where she is taught to be a human and Doctor Beck who help her in her struggle to learn English and about human life. At one point, Mila learns that her real name could be Olivia, and that her father, who is Cuban, is alive.
Doctor Beck: The main doctor that takes care of Mila and helps her learn to speak and to be a human.
Shay: A friend of Mila, a little girl. Shay was said to be kept in solitary confinement in Idaho. Later, she is taken from the research facility to a foster home.
Justin: Doctor Beck's son. At first he is resentful and jealous of Mila and the attention Dr. Beck gives her. Later he tells Mila that Dr. Beck's interest in Mila is more scientific than familial. However, the two fall in love in the climax of the story.
Sandy: A friend of Dr. Beck's. She sometimes acts as a caregiver of Mila, who finds Sandy to be the most sympathetic and understanding person in the story.
Mr. Aradondo: A janitor at the facility where Mila is kept. He appears to be afraid of Mila, though he openly expresses concern for her well-being when she develops a high fever. He reminds Mila of her grandfather.
Doctor Troy and Doctor Peach: Colleagues of Doctor Beck, who also help with Mila and Shay learn about music and the English language.
Dolphins: The ones that raise Mila. Her dolphin mother has a spotted tail or fluke, and wise eyes; she had lost her baby calf shortly before finding Mila.