Tag Archives: deafness

The Silence Between Us Book Review

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The Silence Between Us was one of those books that brought up issues that I would never even think about, even though I took ASL for 2 years. We all know being a teenager is tough enough without extra unforeseen problems. I can relate to some of the issues she experiences in the book. 

Warning! Spoiler alert!

Maya, the protagonist, stands at the point in her life where change will happen whether she likes it or not. Transitioning from a world where silence was usual for her to one with voices. She’s transitioning from deaf school to traditional school. Her challenges of assimilation in these two different schools mirror the changes in her identity. 

Maya discovers many problems and challenges as she navigates the traditional school; along the way, she learns to embrace her true self amidst society and others’ expectations. The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais brings readers into an intimate exploration of self-discovery and resilience. It’s a powerful story of a teen finding herself in a world where people often overlook the silence.

As she confronts heartbreak and other hurdles that are adolescence and Deaf culture problems. The author was skillful in showing the emotional layers and experience through words, inviting readers into Maya’s world as she struggles with questions that transcend typical teenage worries.

I can relate to Maya on so many levels. The Silence Between Us, a touching coming-of-age book, differs from most other stories. The book’s raw honesty and unwavering portrayal of human connection make this a book worth reading. It deserves every accolade, including the esteemed Schneider Family Book Award for Best Teen Honor Book 2020. If you need a summer read, I recommend this one. Of course, this book is available in the Mission Viejo Library and audio on Libby. 


Happy Reading!
Bella H.

William Stokoe: The Man Who Changed the World

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William Stokoe is known throughout the ASL community as the “father of ASL linguistics”. Some might consider him a hero. He was the man who researches about the language and proved that sign language is an actual language. Even though many people doubted him and didn’t support him, he pushed through and ended changing the world with his success.

At the beginning of the research, he had little to no experience with Deaf people, their language, and the culture around them. Regardless, he began his research at Gallaudet University, a private university for the deaf and hard of hearing. After observing the students for some time, Stokoe noticed that sign language contained the features of an actual language. Even though he claimed that sign language is an actual language, his associates completely disagreed with Stokoe’s idea. Despite the lack of support, he continued with his research. After years of careful studying and observation, Stokoe was able to contradict his colleagues’ ideas of sign language not being a language. He ended up writing a paper called Sign Language Structure. His paper ultimately changed the ideas of language not only logically but also scientifically.

Essentially, he gave life to a community that wasn’t that well known or appreciated. He shined a new light on the language and culture and because of that, ASL is no longer a joke. Even when he retired, later on, he continued to work in the SIgn Language area, lecturing students, writing novels, and editing papers.

The creation of sign language has completely changed the world and how it functions. If you turn on the news, sometimes in the corner, there’s someone signing so that deaf people can understand what’s going on. There are even videos on the internet of singers having people who sign at their concerts so that they can enjoy the show just like everyone else and won’t miss out. Nowadays there’s sign language almost everywhere, it’s absolutely incredible.

-Phoebe L.