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A review by leigh_ann_15_deaf
The Mermaid's Three Wisdoms by Jane Yolen, Laura Rader
4.0
Deaf reader approves.
The author is fairly true to the deaf/hard of hearing experience. I honestly wasn't expecting much out of a book published by a hearing author in 1978! I was pleasantly surprised. Yolen captures the linguistic and social anger and frustration of the deaf child, raised as hard of hearing (or hearing impaired). It's actually a bit close to my own experiences, though I never was exposed to sign language or deaf culture until adulthood.
I liked that Jess and Melusina cannot comprehend or use the central languages of each other's worlds and must create a pidgin sign language to communicate with one another. Captain A tells Jess that this makes her deafness a gain, not a loss or a burden, which is an excellent message.
Overall, a cute and meaningful story.
Link to ranked list of deaf characters in fiction: https://modcast.blog/2022/12/17/ranked-deaf-characters-in-fiction/
The author is fairly true to the deaf/hard of hearing experience. I honestly wasn't expecting much out of a book published by a hearing author in 1978! I was pleasantly surprised. Yolen captures the linguistic and social anger and frustration of the deaf child, raised as hard of hearing (or hearing impaired). It's actually a bit close to my own experiences, though I never was exposed to sign language or deaf culture until adulthood.
I liked that Jess and Melusina cannot comprehend or use the central languages of each other's worlds and must create a pidgin sign language to communicate with one another. Captain A tells Jess that this makes her deafness a gain, not a loss or a burden, which is an excellent message.
Overall, a cute and meaningful story.
Link to ranked list of deaf characters in fiction: https://modcast.blog/2022/12/17/ranked-deaf-characters-in-fiction/