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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Written by a Deaf author, this young adult book takes place in the Deaf community of Martha's Vineyard in 1805. I was fascinated by that premise because I'd never heard anything about this history! Through the eyes of its young heroine, the book also explores the early settlers' relationships with the island's indigenous people as well as freed slaves who had married into native tribes - all of which was so interesting. The book is written for a very young audience - I would even give it to a 4th or 5th grader.
emotional
reflective
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
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
slow-paced
I liked this book a lot! Even if you read the front cover that gives away a lot of the story it doesn’t take away from the action as you are reading it. The language of the book was the best part for me. The author is deaf and so are the characters. Readers will notice that sentences end with “s/he signed” not “she said”. I also appreciate that the author didn’t write in ASL glossing as I think it would have taken away from the story. ASL is not exact English and the author makes it very clear that they are different languages. The story had me crying and cheering for little Mary Lambert!
I also think it’s very important that the author has discussions within the novel about the land that settlers “bought” from indigenous Native Americans. Mary has many internal struggles about right and wrong within this book. I think it’s important for kids to be able to read this and apply the same critical thinking to their surroundings today.
I also think it’s very important that the author has discussions within the novel about the land that settlers “bought” from indigenous Native Americans. Mary has many internal struggles about right and wrong within this book. I think it’s important for kids to be able to read this and apply the same critical thinking to their surroundings today.
adventurous
informative
tense
slow-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
What a fascinating story about the deaf community on Martha's Vineyard and the abominable views people had about the deaf, and probably still have.
It was very sad in the middle. She loses her parents, and if she doesn't follow the rules, she'll never see her parents again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Colonisation
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Racism, Kidnapping, Grief
Moderate: Child death, Colonisation
I devoured this book in one sitting...
This is an amazing Own Voices story of life as a d/Deaf individual, but especially one in a time before schools for the deaf were common. It is also amazingly well-researched, not only in the history of Martha's Vineyard and post-Revolution America, but of the Wampanoag Tribe of the island. Just... amazing overall. Heartbreaking, at times, but also so powerful and truly an important read because, sadly, even in modern times the hearing view deafness as a defect, as something that needs to be cured, and don't respect sign language as a language or Deaf culture as a culture.
This is an amazing Own Voices story of life as a d/Deaf individual, but especially one in a time before schools for the deaf were common. It is also amazingly well-researched, not only in the history of Martha's Vineyard and post-Revolution America, but of the Wampanoag Tribe of the island. Just... amazing overall. Heartbreaking, at times, but also so powerful and truly an important read because, sadly, even in modern times the hearing view deafness as a defect, as something that needs to be cured, and don't respect sign language as a language or Deaf culture as a culture.