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This article discusses why authors include deaf characters in their works. Authors interviewed had various motivations, including wanting to provide role models for deaf children, increase understanding between deaf and hearing people, and realistically portray the deaf experience. Hearing authors conducted research such as meeting deaf individuals and taking ASL classes to create authentic deaf characters. While deaf authors hoped deaf youth would read their books, their works were not meant to exclude hearing readers. Overall, authors sought to educate and bring more inclusion and representation to adolescent literature.