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Tree Wise: The Signing Branches
Tree The Signing Branches is a delightful story about a boy who learns how to help his new friend and classmates understand more about deaf culture. A wise old tree teaches sign language to the children through games, while colorful pictures and simple diagrams make it easy to pick up sign language. "Tree Wise teaches children about diversity, friendship, empathy, and a bit of sign language. Antoinette captures an experience a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA) may have growing up straddling the two cultures. Hold on to your heart, as you welcome the characters brought to life through descriptive language and fun illustrations." - Kristie Cain, credentialed elementary school teacher, sign language interpreter, and licensed marriage and family therapist "Your story provides a foundation for both hearing and deaf to come together ... the spirit of both worlds colliding in the most natural state, human interaction, can only produce limitless opportunities for both hearing and deaf cultures! A magnificent tribute to the human nature of interaction regardless!" - Sandy O'Dea, teacher "Tree Wise is a delightful introduction into the world of deaf culture. It is an interesting adventure for both hearing and deaf to find common ground for mutual understanding. Well done!" - Deanne Bray, actor, TV series "Sue Thomas F.B.Eye" Professional actor Antoinette Abbamonte also delves into writing. She just completed another children's book titled My Triangle Vacation. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, to a deaf family, the author enjoys working with children and offers theater workshops for schools. She has a very loving family, and her husband and two young children provide plenty of support and inspiration. She believes that life is an adventure! Her book applies to different cultures and not just the deaf culture. "It's all about how we understand, celebrate, and appreciate our differences." Publisher's //sbprabooks.com/AntoinetteAbbamonte
44 pages, Hardcover
First published August 4, 2014
1 person want to read
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October 5, 2015
A brief and effective lesson on how to interact with deaf people
This book addresses a very important issue, how to interact with deaf people. Unlike blindness, where people generally have something indicating their condition, people that are completely deaf likely will have no outward appearance indicating that fact. Furthermore, people that can hear are accustomed to interacting with people with hearing, so there is no understanding of how one must interact differently with people that are deaf.
It is the first day of kindergarten for Reed and when he is dropped off, Paige watches their interaction. Reed’s mother talks in a way that she doesn’t understand and both Reed and his mother make complex motions with their hands.
Curious about something she has never seen before, Paige asks Reed during recess why his mother talks “funny.” Hurt by this remark, Reed goes and hides under a tree. It is an intelligent tree and engages Reed about his feelings. The tree simply says, “Explain to her that your mother is deaf and so does not hear her own voice.”
Reed follows this advice and soon he and Paige are close friends. Eager to understand more about Reed and his mother, Paige asks for assistance in learning some basic signing. Reed and his mother are pleased with this and the reader is also given some basic lessons in signing.
With roughly one million or one out of every 380 people in the United States totally deaf, the chances are very high that every child will encounter a deaf child or adult while they are in K-12. Knowing how to sign some basic words like “Hello” is something that is fun to learn and will prove useful at some point. Furthermore, the simple things like looking a deaf person in the eyes when talking to them are also valuable. This book introduces the child to people that don’t have all the skills that they have and teaches them how to alter their behavior accordingly.
The illustrations are minimal in the sense that there is no background, only the main points are visually present. To some, that weakens them and to others that keeps the focus on the main point. I only state this as I have no preference either way.
This book was made available for free for review purposes and this review also appears on Amazon.
This book addresses a very important issue, how to interact with deaf people. Unlike blindness, where people generally have something indicating their condition, people that are completely deaf likely will have no outward appearance indicating that fact. Furthermore, people that can hear are accustomed to interacting with people with hearing, so there is no understanding of how one must interact differently with people that are deaf.
It is the first day of kindergarten for Reed and when he is dropped off, Paige watches their interaction. Reed’s mother talks in a way that she doesn’t understand and both Reed and his mother make complex motions with their hands.
Curious about something she has never seen before, Paige asks Reed during recess why his mother talks “funny.” Hurt by this remark, Reed goes and hides under a tree. It is an intelligent tree and engages Reed about his feelings. The tree simply says, “Explain to her that your mother is deaf and so does not hear her own voice.”
Reed follows this advice and soon he and Paige are close friends. Eager to understand more about Reed and his mother, Paige asks for assistance in learning some basic signing. Reed and his mother are pleased with this and the reader is also given some basic lessons in signing.
With roughly one million or one out of every 380 people in the United States totally deaf, the chances are very high that every child will encounter a deaf child or adult while they are in K-12. Knowing how to sign some basic words like “Hello” is something that is fun to learn and will prove useful at some point. Furthermore, the simple things like looking a deaf person in the eyes when talking to them are also valuable. This book introduces the child to people that don’t have all the skills that they have and teaches them how to alter their behavior accordingly.
The illustrations are minimal in the sense that there is no background, only the main points are visually present. To some, that weakens them and to others that keeps the focus on the main point. I only state this as I have no preference either way.
This book was made available for free for review purposes and this review also appears on Amazon.
Displaying 1 of 1 review