And maybe, if the loss were profound, my family would be forced to finally take learning American Sign Language seriously. I’d seem “deaf enough” that my classmates would truly understand my need for all those school accommodations, rather than silently judge and question me. Because right now, they know I’m not hearing, but I don’t fit their expectations of deafness, either.

It’s a strange realm, here in the middle.

Chapter 1

Introduction

Welcome back! This week we have an ARC that made me kick my feet and squee like a teenager. Give Me a Sign, written by Anna Sortino, is a new YA coming-of-age/romance. From her website:

Lilah is stuck in the middle. At least, that’s what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes—when you don’t feel “deaf enough” to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to meet the world’s expectations. But this summer, Lilah is ready for a change.

When Lilah becomes a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind, her plan is to brush up on her ASL. Once there, she also finds a community. There are cute British lifeguards who break hearts but not rules, a YouTuber who’s just a bit desperate for clout, the campers Lilah’s responsible for (and overwhelmed by)—and then there’s Isaac, the dreamy Deaf counselor who volunteers to help Lilah with her signing.

Romance was never on the agenda, and Lilah’s not positive Isaac likes her that way. But all signs seem to point to love. Unless she’s reading them wrong? One thing’s for sure: Lilah wanted change, and things here . . . they’re certainly different than what she’s used to.

http://annasortino.com/

I can’t wait to tell you how much I loved this book! Let’s dive in below.

The Good Stuff

I had a suspicion that I would love this book when I saw the cover and read the synopsis, and boy howdy WAS I RIGHT. This book was amazing! Sortino does an incredible job of bringing us into Lilah’s experience as a teenager with a hearing loss that isn’t really accommodated by her family, her friends, or her school. Even things like riding in the car with friends, seeing a movie in the theater, or doing schoolwork are difficult when you only catch a fraction of the words around you; Lilah notes that her parents aren’t understanding that the lack of access at school is why her grades are so bad, too. This is the perfect set-up for Lilah’s journey to Camp Gray Wolf as a junior counselor.

Sortino writes in such a way that you can’t help but feel for Lilah as she navigates not only a fledgling summer romance but doing so while learning the intricacies of American Sign Language on the fly. The typical teenage experience of figuring out if your crush likes you back is complicated by communication errors and nosy, hearing co-counselors. Mix in sweet-and-sour campers and it’s a story that is just a ton of fun. Toward the end of the story is a more serious experience and although it’s a change in tone from the rest of the book, it’s important to understanding a more serious side to Deaf experience. It’s tough to read but it’s extremely well-done and solidifies a sweet ending.

One important thing I want to highlight from this story is that Sortino highlights a huge variety of experiences within Deafness and disability. Camp Gray Wolf is the perfect setting for telling this story – there are counselors who are blind and counselors who navigate Deafness and hearing loss in different ways. It’s not an encyclopedic array, but it’s not supposed to be. Sortino’s cast of characters show the reader different ways of existing in the disability spectrum and is hyper-inclusive. Sortino also uses the story as a chance to point out the trouble with the hearing-ASL-student-with-a-YouTube-channel subculture to great effect. I had to wince with recognition at some of the things I had watched in earnest before and I’m glad I’ve learned since then!

Overall, this book was such a joy. I’m going to look forward to recommending it to anyone with even a remote interest in romance and/or Deaf culture. There are a few content notes to be aware of though, and you can find those between the Muppet gifs below.

Content warnings include:

• Ableism
• Police brutality
• Bullying
• Alcohol
• Injury/injury detail
• Violence
• Chronic illness
• Sexual harassment

In Summary

This is a sweet story that highlights the spectrum of Deaf and disability culture using the summer romance trope so well. This book is highly recommended!

Give Me a Sign is written by Anna Sortino and published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House. You can find a link to purchase it here. As always, gichi miigwech for reading!