The document provides summaries and reviews of over 30 books for children and young adults that feature deaf characters. Many of the books are novels that tell stories of deaf teenagers going about their daily lives and experiences. Several works are biographical or historical fiction featuring important figures in the deaf community such as Helen Keller. The books cover a wide range of reading levels and topics related to deaf culture, identity, and experiences.

1. Adolescent Literature with Deaf Characters

2. (author interviews & insider tips)

3. Cheshire Moon (1996) by Nancy Butts early middle school-- mystical story) 13-year-old Miranda expects an unfulfilling summer at her aunt's house in Maine. The plot turns mystical when the teens start having identical dreams about a mysterious island. If they're only dreams, why do the teens wake to sand and shells in their beds?

4. Apple Is My Sign (reprinted 1993) , Mary Riskind Ten-year-old Harry (who uses the sign name Apple) returns to his parents' apple farm for the holidays after his first term at a school for the deaf in Philadelphia. middle school

5. Jean F. Andrews (Flying Fingers Series) The Ghost of Tomahawk Creek (1993) (Early middle school) Join main characters Donald, Matt and Susan for a delightfully scary story in this Flying Fingers Club sequel.

6. T4 (September2008) by Ann Clare LeZotte It is 1939. Paula Becker, thirteen years old and deaf, lives with her family in a rural German town. As rumors swirl of disabled children quietly disappearing, a priest comes to her family's door with an offer to shield Paula from an uncertain fate. When the sanctuary he offers is fleeting, Paula needs to call upon all her strength to stay one step ahead of the Nazis. *Told in Verse (112 pages) Reading Level: 4 th grade Character communicates through Sign Language

7. Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller (2007) by Sarah Miller Pub. Date: July 28, 2007 Age Range: 10 to 12 Hardcover: 240pp Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing This book offers an alternative approach to the story of Helen Keller. Readers experience the life of Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller through journals written by Annie Sullivan. Readers learn about Sullivan's abusive father, her relationship with her "invalid" brother, and her experiences teaching Helen Keller.

8. New Books for Teens Of Sound Mind , (2001) Jean Ferris Ferris introduces readers to Theo, a member of an all-deaf family. While Theo has the typical struggles of any high-school senior, he also has a father with health problems, a demanding, high-strung mother, and a significant role as caretaker and interpreter. Theo’s new friend and crush adores her deaf father and helps Theo learn how to cope with his unique family situation while not blaming “everything” on deafness. Ferris has published several adolescent literature books including those with diverse characters.

9. SPOTLIGHT on CHARACTERS Of Sound Mind , (2001) Jean Ferris Deaf Characters Ben Roper, Ph.D. Penn State Employee, Model Airplanes, Single Parent Jeremy Self-Confident, attends “special classes” at mainstream school Thomas Carpenter, attended Gallaudet, doesn’t trust Hearing People Palma Deaf of Deaf, attended Gallaudet, famous artist

10. Books for Younger Adolescents Nobody's Perfect (2006) By Marlee Matlin & Doug Cooney Megan is thrown when a new girl, Alexis, ignores her gestures of friendship. Alexis is pretty, smart, and a great soccer player, but she seems intent on ignoring Megan. Alexis behaves strangely around people with disabilities which is related to her having an autistic brother. Megan, whose family and friends accept her deafness as part of their everyday lives, is shocked by this. Other Books in the Series

11. Nobody's Perfect (2006) By Marlee Matlin & Doug Cooney Made into a Bilingual Musical (View Website) http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/nobodysperfect/ Tami Lee Santimyer with Marlee Matlin

12. Singing Hands (2006) by Delia Ray Gussie Davis is the hearing daughter of deaf parents in 1948. She is a rebellious teen who sings out loud during the church for the deaf where her father ministers. Gussie becomes involved in missionary efforts at a black deaf church and with the Alabama School for the Deaf.

13. Singing Hands (2006) by Delia Ray based on the author’s family... her grandfather was a Deaf preacher and a leading pioneer in the Deaf community.

14. New Books for Teens featuring a ‘signing’ animal Hurt Go Happy (2006) By Ginny Rorby Though she’s been deaf since the age of six, Joey’s mother has never allowed her to learn sign language. She strains to read the lips of those around her, but often fails. Everything changes when Joey meets Dr. Charles Mansell. She secretly learns sign language and her life has never been happier.

15. Finding Abby , (2000) Virginia Scott Teen Read Scott introduces readers to Abby who is in a coma after a tragic accident. Within pages Abby dies and readers, through the help of her sister Paige, attempt to understand the last days of Abby’s life before her death. Through Abby’s diary entries and Paige’s’ interviews with friends, school peers and professionals in the fields associated with deafness readers discover the truth about Abby’s deafness and death.

16. The Tailor's Daughter (2006) By Janice Graham Teen read/ historic realism Graham tells the story of Veda, a passionate young woman raised in London. She has inherited her father’s talent, his sense of style, and his love of tailoring. Veda becomes deaf at the age of sixteen and must prove to others that she is talented by making a name for herself.

17. Read My Lips (June 2008) by Teri Brown Sarcastic, skater chick Serena moves to a new school and mixes with the über popular crowd when they discover her special talent for reading lips. They feel that they have a new secret weapon to snoop out all the gossip in the school. Reading Level: Teen Mainstreamed & Empowered

18. Northlander (Tales of the Borderlands) (2007) by Meg Burden Reading Age: 12 and older Ellin is a young girl with distinctive hair that indicates that she is clearly from the Southlands. When she goes to assist her father in healing the Northland king, she faces prejudice. While there, she meets members of the king's family, the princes of the Northlands including Finn

19. Feathers (2007) by Jacqueline Woodson When a new student arrives at her school, Frannie’s classmates tell the boy that he doesn’t belong on their side of the highway and that he needs to go to the white side… but the boy says that he isn’t white?!?!When her classmates bully him and mock sign language (since the new boy has yet to respond), the boy uses sign language to say “No, I’m not deaf” (p.14) ?!?! Deaf character Sean is funny and smart… he is also the FIRST African-American Deaf character who uses Sign Language

20. Deaf Characters in Comics Echo ( Daredevil & New Avengers ) David Mack’s character Maya Lopez, also known as Echo and Ronin, debuted in Daredevil as a love interest for Matt Murdock. This character now appears in the arc of the most recent issues of The New Avengers . (Biracial, Multilingual, Empowered)

21. Echo ( Daredevil & New Avengers ) The Secret Invasion is here! Have the Skrulls infiltrated the Avengers? Is Maya Lopez the only one with proof? Will she live to tell the tale? All this and a major Avengers hook up!

22. RALLY CAPS (2007) by J. Cutler Stephen and Cutler Del Dottore Jodi Reading level: Ages 9-12 Paperback: 87 pages Publisher: PublishAmerica (2007) A story about two boys who love baseball and who become friends through their experiences at summer camp. One of the main characters is deaf and uses a cochlear implant.

23. New Books for Young Readers Moonbird (March 2007) Deaf author Joyce Dunbar tells the story of Orla, the deaf child of the kind and queen. The magical Moonbird teaches Orla how to speak with his hands and listen with his eyes. Kami and the Yaks (April 2007) Andrea Stenn Stryer & Bert Dodson (Illustrator) When a Sherpa family discovers that their yaks are missing, Kami, a spunky deaf child, sets off to find the wandering herd.

24. The Deaf Musicians (2006), by Pete Seeger, Paul DuBois Jacobs, and R. Gregory Christie Picture Book The main character Lee is a jazzman who plays piano. His bandleader lets him go when Lee loses his hearing. He attends a school for the deaf to learn sign language where he meets Max, who plays the saxophone. While discussing their musical interests, a bass player named Rose joins in and they soon make-up a band and begin performing for audiences in the subway.

25. Check out my Blog! * Includes over 194 titles – 35 books from 2007-2009 *36 Author & Professionals Interviews *Websites & Articles *Free Newsletter http://pajka.blogspot.com/ For Resources highlighting children’s/adolescent books with deaf characters