THE SILENCE BETWEEN US

Narrator Chloe Dolandis gracefully meets the challenge of delivering a story that unfolds in oral English, American Sign Language, and finger spelling. At 17, Maya has been profoundly deaf for only four years, so her observations and thoughts as this gentle teen romance develops from her viewpoint are in standard English. Mainstreamed for her last year of high school, Maya's new acquaintances include a few who try to learn ASL and others whom she recognizes as futilely shouting. In addition to ASL and finger spelling, hard of hearing author Alison Gervais also weaves in the dynamics of lip reading, making this satisfying story one that also delivers a full and empathetic introduction to variant communication methods. F.M.R.G. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2019]