Show Me a Sign, written by Ann Clare LeZotte, reviewed by Katy Golden

Summary: Growing up deaf on Martha’s Vineyard in 1805, Mary has never felt out of place because of her disability. She is surrounded by a large Deaf community - one in four people are born Deaf - that uses spoken and sign language interchangeably. When a stranger comes to visit Mary’s village, she is at first taken aback by his refusal to treat her and other Deaf members of her community as equals, and then terrified when he kidnaps her and brings her back to the mainland to be treated as a science experiment. Mary’s harrowing tale of kidnapping, isolation, and eventual rescue is heart-pounding and powerful. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: This beautifully written historical fiction novel is suspenseful and action-packed, as well as educational. Readers will learn intricate details about the difference between spoken language and sign language (the version used here is the historical MVSL, or Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language), the history of deafness on Martha’s Vineyard, and the tensions between different races and abilities on the island. An author’s note includes additional research and material on the island’s native Wampanoag people, hereditary deafness, and the history of Deaf education in America. Above all, this novel sends enduring messages of hope and the importance of respecting and supporting every individual, regardless of ability or race.