Whistling for Angela

Whistling for Angela is about a boy named Daniel who wants to learn to whistle so he can make his new, adopted sister, Angela, smile. Daniel loves birds and thinks that the chickadee’s whistle is the best sound in the world. Because birds and whistling make Daniel happy, he feels it will make Angela happy too. The day before Angela is supposed to arrive, Daniel practices his whistling. However, because he does not have his front teeth, whistling proves to be hard. Instead of a whistle, Daniel blows out air, spit, food, and sounds like a ghost.

On the night before Daniel is to meet Angela, his mom explains how some babies stay with their birth family forever, but some are adopted and stay with their adoptive family forever. In his class, Daniel has some friends who are also adopted. His friend Kira does not know her birth mother, but his friend Oliver does, and he still talks with her. Daniel knows that he will get to meet Angela’s birth mother, Jessie.

When Daniel and his family finally get to welcome Angela, he is nervous because he still cannot whistle. While waiting in the hall of the adoption agency, he meets Jessie and Angela. While holding Angela, Jessie tells Daniel that she likes birds, too, and she shows him the secret to whistling. When Angela starts to cry, Daniel tries to whistle, and, following Jessie’s advice, he does it! Angela stopped crying, and Daniel felt very proud.

Heald has written a very touching story that focuses on the power of love in adoptions. She also places an emphasis on what she calls the adoption triangle. This is the relationship between the child, the birth family, and the adoption family. As Daniel mentions early in the story, one of his friends does not have any relationship with her birth mother, but his other friend, who is also adopted, does. Through letters shared between Daniel and Jessie, Daniel and his family plan on keeping in touch with Jessie.

Soft, colourful illustrations portray strong emotions with each character. Readers can see how much Jessie loves Angela and how nervous Daniel is to meet his new baby sister. As she describes in her “Author’s Note”, Heald has used her own experiences with adoption to help convey those emotions to readers. There is anxiety and sadness for everyone involved, but also happiness, love, and a potential for new bonds. Heald offers an opportunity for connection and representation for readers, whether a child has been adopted themselves, or a parent has adopted or had to give their own child up for adoption. Whistling for Angela is a perfect story to share with families and in the classroom.