Books with Deaf Characters
As a kid I saw a performance of The Miracle Worker and was immediately fascinated with sign language. After college, I took sign language classes and briefly dreamed of becoming an interpreter. Other career paths intervened, but I’ve continued my interest in Deaf culture and sign language, so it’s no surprise that I’m often attracted to books with D/deaf characters. Here are a number that I recommend.
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (2011)
Selznick tells of characters in two connected stories in Wonderstruck: Ben, a deaf kid in 1977 in Minnesota, and Rose, a deaf kid in 1927 in New Jersey. Both are drawn to New York and the American Museum of Natural History. Told half in prose and half in illustrations, the two tales suspensefully weave together until the characters find each other.
El Deafo by Cece Bell (2014)
Bell depicts her childhood managing her deafness and a world that wasn’t very accommodating. She begins to see her hearing loss as a super power, enabling her to hear secret teacher conversations. Cece longs to have a true friend but struggles to find a person who really fits.
You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P by Alex Gino (2018)
Jilly’s sister is born deaf, and Jilly wants to learn all she can about deafness. She connects with Derek, a deaf kid, online. Jilly makes lots of mistakes in trying to ask Derek for help, which is espeically challenging for her since she likes to be on top of everything.
Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly (2019)
Iris’s grandparents are deaf, but her immediate family is hearing and sign at varied levels. She’s the only deaf kid in her school and has an interpreter there. Being isolated in these ways, it’s not surprising that she is struck by the story of a whale who sings at a different frequency than other whales and therefore can’t join a pod. She determines to write a song for the whale to let him know he is not alone.
Show Me a Sign series by Ann Clare LeZotte (started 2020)
This trilogy is set within the Deaf community of Martha’s Vineyard in the 19th century. In the first book, Mary’s life is unsettled when her brother dies and a scientist comes to the island to find the origin of the community’s deafness. The second book focuses on Mary’s helping a young, isolated deaf child learn to communicate. The final book takes her abroad to France to connect with the pioneering deaf school there.
True Biz by Sara Novic (2022)
Told from multiple perspectives, this (grown-up) novel focuses around the River Valley School for the Deaf. February, a child of deaf parents, is the headmistress of the school and fighting to keep the school open. Charlie is a new student who had previously been entirely in the hearing world. Austin comes from a multi-generational Deaf family and isn’t sure what to do when his sister is born hearing. Fantastic and absorbing story.
Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino (2023)
Lilah, who is deaf but passes for hearing with the help of hearing aids, spend the summer as a counselor for deaf and blind kids. At the camp, she must face how she thinks about her deafness and disability in general. She also falls in love! A sweet and thoughtful YA book.