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mrskatiefitz's review
4.0
Lucy, who is deaf, and Eliza, who is a talented singer, have been best friends practically since birth. Now that they are in middle school, Lucy is the more confident of the two girls, while Eliza struggles to like herself. When it comes time to audition for the school musical, Eliza isn't sure she has the guts to try out – until Lucy, who can't sing a note, announces that she will try out as well.
This book takes the familiar middle grade theme of changing friendships between girls and brings it to a new level by introducing a deaf character. Though Lucy is a somewhat romanticized character, it is Eliza's observations of her and of middle school life in general that make the story so interesting. Though it is clear from the first chapter that this book is on the older side, with references to being born in 1977, and playing with Fisher-Price Little People, much of what happens is every bit as relevant now as it was in the late 1980's. Consider this great insight Eliza has about her friend's interactions with their classmates:
But the fact is, there are things that deaf children don't understand, especially about relationships and how people can be unkind. She doesn't understand, for example, that a girl like Louisa Peale with her sunshine smile can say terrible things about a person behind their back. Lucy understands hitting because she can see what is going on. But she doesn't understand the cruelty of girls because often it's practiced in secret.
Any girl who has ever attended middle school understands that difficult truth about the way girls can sometimes treat each other, and I like the way this book encourages readers to think about how that situation might change or not depending on a girl's ability to hear.
This book is also a great example of friendship rising above the adversity of middle school. Eliza and Lucy might be opposites, but they are always there for each other, in any way they can be, despite what others might say or do. I think girls appreciate seeing fictional friendships survive the turbulence of middle school because it gives them hope that their own friendships will make it as well.
For more books portraying kids with disabilities in a positive light, try the McKenna books from American Girl, in which McKenna's tutor uses a wheelchair, and the Aldo Zelnick series where Aldo has a classmate who is deaf and communicates using sign language.
This book takes the familiar middle grade theme of changing friendships between girls and brings it to a new level by introducing a deaf character. Though Lucy is a somewhat romanticized character, it is Eliza's observations of her and of middle school life in general that make the story so interesting. Though it is clear from the first chapter that this book is on the older side, with references to being born in 1977, and playing with Fisher-Price Little People, much of what happens is every bit as relevant now as it was in the late 1980's. Consider this great insight Eliza has about her friend's interactions with their classmates:
But the fact is, there are things that deaf children don't understand, especially about relationships and how people can be unkind. She doesn't understand, for example, that a girl like Louisa Peale with her sunshine smile can say terrible things about a person behind their back. Lucy understands hitting because she can see what is going on. But she doesn't understand the cruelty of girls because often it's practiced in secret.
Any girl who has ever attended middle school understands that difficult truth about the way girls can sometimes treat each other, and I like the way this book encourages readers to think about how that situation might change or not depending on a girl's ability to hear.
This book is also a great example of friendship rising above the adversity of middle school. Eliza and Lucy might be opposites, but they are always there for each other, in any way they can be, despite what others might say or do. I think girls appreciate seeing fictional friendships survive the turbulence of middle school because it gives them hope that their own friendships will make it as well.
For more books portraying kids with disabilities in a positive light, try the McKenna books from American Girl, in which McKenna's tutor uses a wheelchair, and the Aldo Zelnick series where Aldo has a classmate who is deaf and communicates using sign language.
lcbeutler's review
3.0
I read this because I discovered it on a shelf at the library while I was straightening things up, and I thought, "I have never seen this book before."
That is a good enough reason to read a book.
That is a good enough reason to read a book.
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