Book
Learning to Whistle
A Novel
WINNER for Women’s Fiction in the 2026 INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS
“Her experiences are almost magical in the way she meets people and the opportunities that open to her: friends, a year-long internship at a winery, the opportunity to climb to Machu Picchu, and love…[A] pleasingly simple story of grief and resolution….”
– BOOKLIST
“Original, eloquent, exceptionally well written, Learning to Whistle by Tess Perko is a deftly blended novel of coming-of-age, travel, and fictional travelogue. Written with a genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that elevates “Learning to Whistle” to an impressive level of literary excellence, Learning to Whistle is unreservedly recommended as a popular pick for community and college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections.”
– MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
“Rich with heart, sensory detail, and insight, this story is both tender and uplifting—a celebration of resilience and the many ways we can be guided back to ourselves.”
– SUZANNE SIMONETTI
(USA Today bestselling author of The Waves of Time)
“A beautifully written novel about a daughter’s journey through grief via a transformative year-and-a-half of self-discovery in Buenos Aires, the vineyards of Mendoza, and Machu Picchu. With a colorful cast of unforgettable characters, Learning to Whistle celebrates cultural and historic treasures of Argentina and Peru. A travel novel to savor!”
– DEBRA THOMAS
(Author of Luz, Sarton Award Winner 2020 and Josie and Vic, WILLA Literary Award Finalist 2024)
“Perko masterfully takes us on a journey from sorrow to hope as a grieving young woman travels through South America in search of consolation and guidance. Amidst vivid descriptions of Leonie’s trail to Machu Picchu, readers will embrace the compassion and wisdom of the women who foster her self-discovery.”
-REBECCA D’HARLINGUE
(Author of The Map Colorist and The Lines Between Us)
When she is supposed to be having the time of her life in college in California, Leonie loses her mother to breast cancer. After taking her last college course in Buenos Aires, she cashes in her return flight ticket and refuses to go home, erroneously believing that her grief will subside if she avoids her family. Narrating in her own grief-stricken voice, Leonie travels across Argentina, makes friends, and falls in love. She discovers her vulnerability and strength while working at a winery in Mendoza, riding over the treacherous Andes Mountains, and hiking the ancient pilgrimage to Machu Picchu—and, in doing so, slowly begins to heal.
Vividly rendered and full of heart, Learning to Whistle will resonate with every person who has ever been forced to venture into the world when they didn’t feel ready for it—with or without the guidance of a parent.
