Read My Lips

by Jana Novotny Hunter

Cat's had enough of the fighting at her school, so what if some students, like her, use sign language and others speech? With the end of school, they're all going to need help in the "hearing" world. So she decides to learn to speak, and risks loosing everything when she falls for a speaker.

Genres: Young Adult

168 pages, Paperback

First published December 2, 2002

About the author

Jana Novotny Hunter was born in Czechoslovakia and grew up in England. A graduate of Hornsey College of Art, Jana married an American and spent many years living in California. She now lives with her family in a tiny village in Rutland.

Reviews

[annabel⭐️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhhh this book! It was a short sharp read which I enjoyed all the way through but I just wasn't satisfied with the ending! I think there was so much left unexplained and the romance could have been expanded but it just seemed to perfect the whole way through! I loved that cat had a bestie but bee was such a toxic friend! Anyway I really enjoyed the books message about the deaf and uniting the two sides of being deaf. I thought that was really empowering. Great book with an unsatisfying ending!!!

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really interesting book, set in a high school for deaf and hearing impaired kids, which they all call "Deaf City" and which is split pretty strongly into two warring groups - those who sign, and those who lip-read and speak.

Cat is a signer, who was a "hearie" until she was five when she contracted meningitis. She decides to try and learn how to speak again so that she can cope better on the "outside" which means that a lot of her signer friends see her as a traitor.

Then there's Joey, the new guy who comes from a school where they learned "total communication", ie. everyone speaks AND signs. And Cat liiiikes him, but as far as her school is concerned he's a speaker and thus off-limits to a signer like her. There is also some seriously epic bullying that goes on, and it's even more frightening to read about when you realise that she can scream all she wants... no one can hear.

All up, really interesting and unique, much better than the other book I've recently read with the same title. Cat's also in charge of a debate about speaking vs. signing vs. total communication, but alas the book kind of fizzles out to an anti-climax as far as that plot-point is concerned.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Jana's book about the battles that deaf people can face (she has a brother & sister who are deaf). In this story "Cat" who lost her hearing at 5 when she contracted meningitis, is sent to a boarding school for deaf children. She feels abandoned by her parents, especially her mother. She is now in her final year at school and worried about going "outside" into the hearing world. At "Deaf City" (the nickname given to her school) the is a war between signers and speakers (deaf who also speak) and Cat get's thrown in the middle when, as a signer, she falls for a speaker. She helps bring the argument to a head with a school debate but at what cost?

I have read a few books about deaf kids (my own sister is hearing impaired) written by both hearing and deaf and found Read my Lips up there with the good ones.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great book for the people who seek trouble and then they people in the story resolve it. I recommend it for the people who love reading books about deaf kids and how they have a strong belief, that they will get their hearing back. I loved this book, and I think that you will to.

[wrench · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it, but I feel like the fact that it's written by a hearing woman with a very specific educational agenda makes me go hmmmmm.

It's an enjoyable to read book, but I think if you're looking for any deep insights into Deaf communities, don't look for them here.

[Aynsley]

Was a really good read. Finished it in about 2 days. Flowed nicely.