Search This Blog







2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (5)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana
- Iowa (2)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (5)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (1)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont (3)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
- Australia (3)
- Canada (2)
- England (5)
- France (2)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (1)


2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge



2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge









Monday, October 19, 2020
MG Deafness Novel Illuminating and Compelling
7:43 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
"Deafness is not an affliction. The only thing it stops me from doing is hearing" (95).
In Mary Lambert's community on Martha's Vineyard, 1 in 4 residents is Deaf. Everyone—those who can hear and those who cannot—uses the town's sign language to communicate with each other. In 1805 Chilmark, Deafness is not odd or other. It just is. Eleven-year-old Mary has never felt different or lesser because of her inability to hear. Until things start to change in her world.
When Mary's older brother dies in a tragic accident, Mary's grief is compounded by her guilt. She knows in her broken heart that she caused his death. Then, a scientist from Connecticut shows up in Chilmark eager to study its unique "affliction." Although other Deaf residents are willing to be studied, Mary has no desire to become anyone's "live specimen." When she becomes one by force, she will learn a hard lesson about how Deaf people are treated outside of Chilmark. Can she escape back to her beloved island? Or is Mary doomed to endure a life of servitude, humiliation, and abuse, all because she was born without being able to hear?
Show Me a Sign, a middle-grade novel by Deaf librarian Ann Clare LeZotte, is both fascinating and eye-opening. It's set in a real community, where during the 19th Century Deaf and hearing people intermingled every day, using their own brand of sign language to communicate. Mary's story starts off slowly but the action soon picks up, making for an exciting and compelling tale. Not only does the book explore what it means to be Deaf, especially in a time and place where the condition wasn't understood, but it also teaches some important lessons about ableism, racism (LeZotte draws a not-so subtle parallel between the mistreatment of the Wampanoag people and that of the Deaf), empathy, and standing up for one's self. I don't know how appealing this one will be to young readers, but I found it engaging, illuminating, and thought-provoking.
Grade:
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)


Reading
You Are Here: Connecting Flights edited by Ellen Oh

Listening
The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder by C.L. Lewis


Followin' with Bloglovin'

-
-
Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez7 hours ago
-
Sunday Post/Sunday Salon8 hours ago
-
Soon by Lois Murphy8 hours ago
-
Book tag: reading firsts — 2025 edition!14 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
Sunday Salon: May 10, 20261 day ago
-
Week in review #191 day ago
-
Rosie the Cat1 day ago
-
-
Songs for Other People’s Weddings2 days ago
-
Book Quotes2 days ago
-
Splintered Justice by Kim Hays2 days ago
-
-
-
-
Houses Of Detention By Jean Ende4 days ago
-
-
Catching up4 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sunday Post #5683 weeks ago
-
-
February 2025 Reading Wrap Up2 months ago
-
One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery2 months ago
-
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October5 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I8 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus9 months ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-

Grab my Button!


Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ▼ 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)


2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
