Simon Pulse, 2018
This heartwarming, challenging novel about a girl, without her best friend, that can’t speak and a boy that can’t hear. Steffi has selective mutism and Rhys is deaf; but then the principal puts them together and Steffi crushes deeply. This novel is full of British Sign Language, which appears similar to ASL, starting with the inside of the cover we have the alphabet and the numbers, then every chapter number has its equivalent in the sign language. Even during the story there are lines that explain how to signs specific words in BSL like “thank you” or “I am sorry”.
The backstory is full of complex families and relationships. She can express herself at 100% only to people she knows pretty well, and she is comfortable with her family or best friends. Tem, a daughter of refugees, who is the opposite of Steffi, is chatty and able to fill all the silence of Steffi. Tem never judges her best friend and never forces her to talk.
Steffi’s brain can pass from a good thing to a disaster quickly. No matter if she has any reason to think about something terrible, which leads to depression, and sometimes it’s really impossible to get out of it. “Panic attacks are a lot like being drunk in some ways, you lose self-control. You cry for seemingly no reason. You deal with the hangover long into the next day.”
Steffi comes from a loving, supportive family, has access to a good therapist, and has a trusted friend at work where Steffi communicates sometimes. This romantic character portrayal with racial diversity is a quick issue driven read. and is a relatable, perfect depiction of anxiety.
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