"It's not just the fluency, but the confidence. I know who I am. I don't need to be more hearing or prove my deafness. I can bring both worlds together. Just being myself, I'm complete."
Release Date: July 11, 2023
Genre: YA
Rating:
Summary:
Lilah is stuck in the middle.
At least, that's what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes-when you don't feel "deaf enough" to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to meet the world's expectations. But this summer, Lilah is ready for a change.
When Lilah becomes a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind, her plan is to brush up on her ASL. Once there, she also finds a community. There are cute British lifeguards who break hearts but not rules, a YouTuber who's just a bit desperate for clout, the campers Lilah's responsible for (and overwhelmed by)-and then there's Isaac, the dreamy Deaf counselor who volunteers to help Lilah with her signing.
Romance was never on the agenda, and Lilah's not positive Isaac likes her that way. But all signs seem to point to love. Unless she's reading them wrong? One thing's for sure: Lilah wanted change, and things here are certainly different than what she's used to.
In her sweet and swoony debut, Anna Sortino delivers a poignant coming-of-age story and a revelatory exploration of Deaf culture, its vastness, and its beautiful complexities.
Review:
This utterly adorable YA novel incorporates deaf and blind representation that is paired perfectly with a sweet coming-of-age story and it is a completely welcomed breath of fresh air.
Anna Sortino does an impeccable job incorporating the diversity of the deaf/HOH community while also weaving a heartwarming tale about finding your community and falling in love at summer camp.
I have been looking to read books with more representation and I think this does a fantastic job. I highly recommend!
This was also my first time annotating a book before. I don't think I will be showcasing any of annotations anytime soon...I am a bit shy while I am trying to navigate this new element of reading. I thoroughly enjoyed annotating this book though. I felt a deeper connection to the story and the characters. I definitely cannot wait to continue annotating books as I read but also interested in re-reading some of my favorites to annotate!
Quotes:
"There's so much energy, emotion, and personality that goes into ASL, and it clearly translates to their approach to this job. The way they move around, eager to take up space. It's not just vocabulary and grammar that I need to learn, but also how to set my expressions and movements free."
"This is how I want to embrace my disability and the access I need. It's not hearing loss, it's Deaf gain."
"It's not just the fluency, but the confidence. I know who I am. I don't need to be more hearing or prove my deafness. I can bring both worlds together. Just being myself, I'm complete."
"There's still plenty of summer left," he says. "And a whole life ahead of you. You can keep finding yourself again and again. The important part of all of that is just being true to what your heart tells you."
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