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jonapelson's review against another edition
5.0
A quick, fascinating book that sent me down quite the Wikipedia rabbit hole! I listened to it, which is interesting since it is a Deaf book written by a Deaf person (I, of course, did not know this before selecting the audiobook). A wonderful story and a look into Martha's Vineyard Sign Language and its history. I especially loved Ann Clare's inclusion and treatment of Freedman and Wampanoag.
quackthump's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
lizaroo71's review
4.0
Mary Lambert’s family lives in Martha’s Vineyard before it was Martha’s Vineyard. Her ancestors are from a place in England where deafness is prominent. Mary grows up in a community where her deafness is not seen as something that needs an explanation. But the outside world doesn’t share these views.
Mary’s world consists of her mom and dad (her mom is hearing, her father isn’t). Mary has lost her brother in a tragic accident and she carries guilt as the cause of it. Mary has a best friend in Nancy (also hearing) and a grizzled old sailor, Ezra (my favorite character).
This is a story about Mary, but also about accepting those that are different. This part of the country originally belonged to the Wampanoag and this is explored in the book also. Mary’s father employs a man of color married to a woman belonging to the tribe.
I like how all of the plot lines are handled. A great way to begin my reading year.
Mary’s world consists of her mom and dad (her mom is hearing, her father isn’t). Mary has lost her brother in a tragic accident and she carries guilt as the cause of it. Mary has a best friend in Nancy (also hearing) and a grizzled old sailor, Ezra (my favorite character).
This is a story about Mary, but also about accepting those that are different. This part of the country originally belonged to the Wampanoag and this is explored in the book also. Mary’s father employs a man of color married to a woman belonging to the tribe.
I like how all of the plot lines are handled. A great way to begin my reading year.
rdyourbookcase's review
4.0
I think that young readers will love Show Me a Sign. It has a strong sense of place, and I enjoyed seeing the main character visit places that I saw when I was in Boston (but unfortunately, the circumstances that brought her there were awful.) Family trauma, peril, and an interesting heroine make for an excellent, quick read.
beatniksafari's review
4.0
A layered, fascinating work of historical fiction set in the early 1800s, when the community of Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts had adapted to a large deaf population with a unique form of sign language, used by deaf and hearing residents alike to communicate. The main character, Mary, brave, strong, and observant, is a deaf girl who becomes the target of an unscrupulous, cruel scientist visiting from the mainland. I learned a lot from the book, and was fully engaged in following Mary's adventures.
dizzylizzyhas2cats's review
4.0
Reminds me of True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle but much better done and way more interesting.
saidtheraina's review
5.0
There are not enough books by and about the Deaf community.
I believe I am more aware of the Deaf community than the average hearing person. When I was a child, my mom's best friend was Deaf. I was taught ASL before I spoke.
Show Me a Sign is an amazing ownvoices historical fiction story about a (real, historical) community with a high proportion of Deaf people. I loved how LeZotte depicted communication in this book. I loved the way she handled the science of what makes people deaf.
I'm glad it won a well-deserved Schneider award.
For me, the tone felt fairly subdued at the beginning, and then shocked me when the plot took its turn. It quickly becomes a story with a lot of horrible traumatic experiences. Maybe I'm more horrified by that kind of thing in books now than I used to be, since I've become a parent. Or maybe I'm extra sensitive to these things since the world has been living in a collectively traumatic experience for over a year now.
There needs to be more ownvoices books by Deaf people.
I believe I am more aware of the Deaf community than the average hearing person. When I was a child, my mom's best friend was Deaf. I was taught ASL before I spoke.
Show Me a Sign is an amazing ownvoices historical fiction story about a (real, historical) community with a high proportion of Deaf people. I loved how LeZotte depicted communication in this book. I loved the way she handled the science of what makes people deaf.
I'm glad it won a well-deserved Schneider award.
For me, the tone felt fairly subdued at the beginning, and then shocked me when the plot took its turn. It quickly becomes a story with a lot of horrible traumatic experiences. Maybe I'm more horrified by that kind of thing in books now than I used to be, since I've become a parent. Or maybe I'm extra sensitive to these things since the world has been living in a collectively traumatic experience for over a year now.
There needs to be more ownvoices books by Deaf people.