Show Me a Sign
This middle-grade historical novel offers a unique setting with a compelling, relatable heroine who faces horrific prejudice while navigating her own biases. Set in 1805 on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, 11-year-old Mary is a Deaf child in a community where being Deaf is not unique and where signing is the predominant way of communication, even among those who can hear. LeZotte breathes life into this unique setting by offering us a curious, observant narrator who loves her vibrant but insular community
Protected by her family and community, Mary is sheltered from negative opinions and treatments of Deaf individuals. When a visiting scholar quickly reveals his repulsion toward Mary and the other Deaf members of their village, it is a brutal shock that makes more real the stark prejudice she sees the freed Black families and Wampanoag neighbors experiencing. Still, she is unprepared for the horrific steps the scholar will take in furthering his research and the cost she will pay for it.
LeZotte’s novel is a welcome addition to the thick field of middle-grade historical fiction. She broaches thorny topics of racism and ableism with vulnerability and an awareness of privilege, inviting readers to imagine themselves in the footsteps of those experiencing bias and ignorance. LeZotte is a Deaf librarian and author and cites her yearning for Deaf heroines as the reason for Mary and this novel. All readers will find this a welcome addition to their libraries.
