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Turn On the Light So I Can Hear
The hearing and deaf worlds come together in this engaging novel from an award-winning author. A young artist badly in need of money bluffs her way through an interview into a job she is not prepared for. To succeed, she must make room in her life for two Curtis, a deaf architect who has sworn he will never date a hearing woman, and thirteen-year-old Alex, profoundly deaf, rebellious, bold, and frightened. With sign language--nimble and evocative--at its center, Turn On the Light So I Can Hear is about reaching across distances, the transformative powers of art, and finding a place to belong. Teri Kanefield's awards and distinctions include the 2015 Jane Addams Peace Association Book Award for The Girl From The Tar Paper School.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2014
21 people are currently reading
571 people want to read
About the author
Teri Kanefield
36 books102 followersTeri writes novels, short stories, essays, stories for children, nonfiction for both children and adults, and lots of appellate briefs.
Her stories and essays have appeared in publications as diverse as Education Week, Scope Magazine, The Iowa Review, Cricket Magazine, and The American Literary Review.
Teri's books have received the following honors and distinctions:
The Girl From The Tar Paper School:
--Jane Addams Book Award
--Carter G. Woodson Middle Level Book Award, 2015
--California Reading Association Eureka Silver Honor Book Award
--Included on the 2015 list of Notable Social Studies Trade Books for young readers compiled by the National Council for Social Studies
--Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children (National Association of Teachers of English), Recommended Book
--Included in the New York Public Library's list of 100 children's books to read in 2014.
--A Junior Library Guild selection
Praise for The Girl From The Tar Paper School:
"Beautifully and clearly written." School Library Journal, starred review
"Worthy of the highest recommendation." Midwest Book Review
Rivka's Way
--Sidney Taylor Book Awards, Notable book of 2001
-- Lilith Magazine's 5th Annual Selection of Books for Young Readers
--Included in Great Books for Girls, by Kathleen Odean
--Included in Best Jewish Books for Children and Teens, by Linda R. Silver
Praise for Rivka's Way :
"A rewarding read for the romantically inclined." School Library Journal
"A simple but daring adventure." Voice of Youth Advocates
Guilty? Crime, Punishment, and the Changing Face of Justice
--Junior Library Guild selection
Teri's law practice is limited to representing indigents on appeal from adverse rulings.
She lives in California near the beach..
Her stories and essays have appeared in publications as diverse as Education Week, Scope Magazine, The Iowa Review, Cricket Magazine, and The American Literary Review.
Teri's books have received the following honors and distinctions:
The Girl From The Tar Paper School:
--Jane Addams Book Award
--Carter G. Woodson Middle Level Book Award, 2015
--California Reading Association Eureka Silver Honor Book Award
--Included on the 2015 list of Notable Social Studies Trade Books for young readers compiled by the National Council for Social Studies
--Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children (National Association of Teachers of English), Recommended Book
--Included in the New York Public Library's list of 100 children's books to read in 2014.
--A Junior Library Guild selection
Praise for The Girl From The Tar Paper School:
"Beautifully and clearly written." School Library Journal, starred review
"Worthy of the highest recommendation." Midwest Book Review
Rivka's Way
--Sidney Taylor Book Awards, Notable book of 2001
-- Lilith Magazine's 5th Annual Selection of Books for Young Readers
--Included in Great Books for Girls, by Kathleen Odean
--Included in Best Jewish Books for Children and Teens, by Linda R. Silver
Praise for Rivka's Way :
"A rewarding read for the romantically inclined." School Library Journal
"A simple but daring adventure." Voice of Youth Advocates
Guilty? Crime, Punishment, and the Changing Face of Justice
--Junior Library Guild selection
Teri's law practice is limited to representing indigents on appeal from adverse rulings.
She lives in California near the beach..
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
May 30, 2017
I love the book, the characters (at least the important - Bretna's family not so much - though I suppose it's on purpose), their development, the way the story is told - almost everything.
I don't know why I'm so much fascinated by sign language but now I want even more learn it. Without any real knowledge about deaf or hearing-impaired people and their lives it appears to me the author made a great job to show the tension between the worlds of hearing and deaf people and those somewhere in-between as well as some of the issues for those trying to bridge those worlds.
I was able to relate to the additional strain Bretna's past had on her present life and relationships as well as her emotions as child. I'm amazed how well she was able to deal with her background and the (emotional) strength her character displays. I wish so much she were a real-life character.
The story is a clean romance dealing with some pretty tough questions and the answers are not always clean-cut or 'nice' - just real.
I can fully recommend this book to all interested in sign language, children with disabilities facing mainstreaming, relationships between people from these two worlds, characters with difficult past (trauma), understanding cultural issues within our culural environment.
I don't know why I'm so much fascinated by sign language but now I want even more learn it. Without any real knowledge about deaf or hearing-impaired people and their lives it appears to me the author made a great job to show the tension between the worlds of hearing and deaf people and those somewhere in-between as well as some of the issues for those trying to bridge those worlds.
I was able to relate to the additional strain Bretna's past had on her present life and relationships as well as her emotions as child. I'm amazed how well she was able to deal with her background and the (emotional) strength her character displays. I wish so much she were a real-life character.
The story is a clean romance dealing with some pretty tough questions and the answers are not always clean-cut or 'nice' - just real.
I can fully recommend this book to all interested in sign language, children with disabilities facing mainstreaming, relationships between people from these two worlds, characters with difficult past (trauma), understanding cultural issues within our culural environment.
August 22, 2015
08/22/15 - Since my 3 star review was mostly for the fact that I hated that the story just ended, I am moving the review to 4 stars since now I am told there will be a sequel. YAY! Can not wait to read more about these two wonderful characters.
08/11/15 -Bretna is an artist. She gets hired as an interrupter for a deaf boy. Bretna is faking knowing ASL. She knows how to spell in ASL and that is about it. She is not qualified to interrupt. As she takes a "refresher" course in ASL, she meets a deaf man, Curtis. Curtis does not date hearing women. However, Bretna is not like other women...
I really liked this one. I liked the characters and the story. I was going to give this book 4.5/5 stars until the very end, when the story just ended!! No EPILOGUE, NO NOTHING!! What happened to everyone???
Here are my questions..
So many unanswered questions. I feel let down. The other problem I had was there no was space separation between paragraphs when there was a change in events or time. It was confusing at times, but I enjoyed the story so much that I was willing to let it slide. However, the ending with so many unanswered questions I could not forgive. Makes me leery to read anything more by this author.
08/11/15 -Bretna is an artist. She gets hired as an interrupter for a deaf boy. Bretna is faking knowing ASL. She knows how to spell in ASL and that is about it. She is not qualified to interrupt. As she takes a "refresher" course in ASL, she meets a deaf man, Curtis. Curtis does not date hearing women. However, Bretna is not like other women...
I really liked this one. I liked the characters and the story. I was going to give this book 4.5/5 stars until the very end, when the story just ended!! No EPILOGUE, NO NOTHING!! What happened to everyone???
Here are my questions..
So many unanswered questions. I feel let down. The other problem I had was there no was space separation between paragraphs when there was a change in events or time. It was confusing at times, but I enjoyed the story so much that I was willing to let it slide. However, the ending with so many unanswered questions I could not forgive. Makes me leery to read anything more by this author.
January 21, 2015
I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
This is the third book I have reviewed for this author. Each has been different. The main character in this book is Bretna. She is an artist. When her sculptures stop selling she looks for a job to pay the bills. She needs a job that will pay a certain amount and allow her to continue to work on her art. The solution to her problem? Take a job paying $18 an hour as an interpretor for a deaf student. Bretna has one major problem. She has taken the job by allowing them to believe she is qualified to work with this student, yet she has no sign language experience. Her solution is to take a class and private lessons. Thank goodness she is a quick learner. I thought it funny that she realized Alex’s signing ability was sloppier than hers. Alex just wants to fit in like any other student. He reminded me of a seventh grader I had who insisted on doing everything her hearing classmates did. She refused to allow her disability to define her.
Bretna shares a room with two other young ladies. The newest roommate, Rosie adds lots of drama to the mix. She just keeps going back to the same type of person. Curtis was her sign language instructor. It was only a matter of time before a relationship was built. Curtis didn’t necessarily agree with what Bretna’s plans were. However, after seeing that she really cares for Alex’s education, things move forward. She seems to be able to motivate both Curtis and Alex to take chances in their lives. I had an issue with her contact at the school. She had a deaf son who was personal friend’s with Alex’s parents. She didn’t agree with them allowing Alex to go to a regular high school. She thought they should only let him attend schools that were for the deaf. She believed in isolating them. I think she hindered Alex’s progress in many ways. She almost seemed spiteful when it came to changing Alex’s classes. That would be my take on it from an educator’s perspective.
It would be interesting to find out if the author has any background in art. She speaks about different people in colors. It is funny because I really understood that. The art relationship was very intriguing. Her writing is so descriptive that I could picture her sculptures and her drawings. Bretna’s issues with her family were heartbreaking. The fact that she’d had a fairly severe hearing problem helped her understand Alex and Curtis’s world better. When she talked about her surgery to restore part of her hearing I understood. My son was not even a year old when he had to have tubes put in his ears. I remember coming back from the hospital a semi drove by and my son put his hands over his ears. As he began to talk we realized there were so many sounds he could not hear. Soft Ps, Vs, Ts.
I was able to understand a lot of this from Bretna’s viewpoint. I learned the sign language alphabet when I was very young. My grandmother was deaf. She had meniere’s disease. She was an expert at reading lips. I learned to talk slowly to those with hearing deficits as I had my grandmother. This was an extremely enjoyable book. It is one I will probably read again.
This is the third book I have reviewed for this author. Each has been different. The main character in this book is Bretna. She is an artist. When her sculptures stop selling she looks for a job to pay the bills. She needs a job that will pay a certain amount and allow her to continue to work on her art. The solution to her problem? Take a job paying $18 an hour as an interpretor for a deaf student. Bretna has one major problem. She has taken the job by allowing them to believe she is qualified to work with this student, yet she has no sign language experience. Her solution is to take a class and private lessons. Thank goodness she is a quick learner. I thought it funny that she realized Alex’s signing ability was sloppier than hers. Alex just wants to fit in like any other student. He reminded me of a seventh grader I had who insisted on doing everything her hearing classmates did. She refused to allow her disability to define her.
Bretna shares a room with two other young ladies. The newest roommate, Rosie adds lots of drama to the mix. She just keeps going back to the same type of person. Curtis was her sign language instructor. It was only a matter of time before a relationship was built. Curtis didn’t necessarily agree with what Bretna’s plans were. However, after seeing that she really cares for Alex’s education, things move forward. She seems to be able to motivate both Curtis and Alex to take chances in their lives. I had an issue with her contact at the school. She had a deaf son who was personal friend’s with Alex’s parents. She didn’t agree with them allowing Alex to go to a regular high school. She thought they should only let him attend schools that were for the deaf. She believed in isolating them. I think she hindered Alex’s progress in many ways. She almost seemed spiteful when it came to changing Alex’s classes. That would be my take on it from an educator’s perspective.
It would be interesting to find out if the author has any background in art. She speaks about different people in colors. It is funny because I really understood that. The art relationship was very intriguing. Her writing is so descriptive that I could picture her sculptures and her drawings. Bretna’s issues with her family were heartbreaking. The fact that she’d had a fairly severe hearing problem helped her understand Alex and Curtis’s world better. When she talked about her surgery to restore part of her hearing I understood. My son was not even a year old when he had to have tubes put in his ears. I remember coming back from the hospital a semi drove by and my son put his hands over his ears. As he began to talk we realized there were so many sounds he could not hear. Soft Ps, Vs, Ts.
I was able to understand a lot of this from Bretna’s viewpoint. I learned the sign language alphabet when I was very young. My grandmother was deaf. She had meniere’s disease. She was an expert at reading lips. I learned to talk slowly to those with hearing deficits as I had my grandmother. This was an extremely enjoyable book. It is one I will probably read again.
July 12, 2015
Several things I loved about Turn On The Light So I Can Hear were that it involved ASL, the deaf community and the hearing community, hearing loss, and a glimpse on what it's like to be an interpreter for a deaf student. Most books don't focus on this so I found it great that this novel did. However, the problem I had with this story was that certain sections of the book didn't capture my attention. I would read a little bit of it, then check my phone for a minute, and then go back to reading the story. Despite those several sections of the book, Turn On The Light So I Can Hear is still a good read.
August 10, 2020
I won this delightful book through Goodreads giveaway. A determined sculptress attempting to support herself while attending school accepts a position as tutor to a deaf high school boy. After taking a crash course in the signing required to communicate with him, her experiences with a difficult boy and her growing feelings for her instructor drive the story. The interesting information about the deaf and this wonderful love story makes this a good read.
June 29, 2015
I'll start from the cover - It is so beautiful that it took my breath away.
Now, to the title - only after I started to read the book the real meaning of it sank into me and I think it's fits, so fit that it's like glove to the plot. like glove to the plot. The title is so right and so ingenious that it made me wonder, why it never occurred to me before how deaf person would manage without a light (and please, don't bring forward Helen Keller, which I admire too).
Anyway, I got this book by mail, two months ago from the author, and I didn't had the chance to read from too many reasons, that I almost forgot that I had it at all. But guess what, after a YA fantasy book after YA fantasy book, so many books which I started and after few pages or few chapters max.... I decided that I need a break something else for a change... so I looked at the piles of books which were waiting on me to read them, accumulating dust and started to go over them.... when I reached to "Turn On the Light So I Can Hear", I stopped enchanted by the cover turn it over to read the summery.... I didn't understand much from it.... only it is not a YA fantasy book.... and I wasn't disappointed more than this I really fell in love with it.
"Turn On the Light So I Can Hear" is a refreshing wind, it is written in a very precise language, it is like few detail drawing that can tell you the whole story. You can, practically, see the colors and shapes of the feelings. And this analogy didn't come out of the blue - because the main character Bretna - is an artist, who use her art to sort things. For example, she is using Colors to describe the character of the people around her, even though her main art is sculpturing. For her sculptures, she is using a very difficult material, broken glass... and when people asking her a bout this choice - her answer is always the same - the most beautiful art creations come from broken things.
As the story unfold, we will discover more and more layers to the young artist which just came out of school of art and in her desperation to survive, "bluffing" her way into a job (I put bluffing in quotation marks in purpose because I think it is not a total lie and the reader will understand this claim better when he will be too deep in the book). The job is - an interpreter and tutor for a 13 year old deaf boy, Alex, whose parents chose for him to go to a regular school, for 18 dollars per hour. In her interview she is also telling that at the age of 5 yo she suffered from hearing lose, which treated but since then in one ear she has an hearing disability. This small information will be important key to understand her better.
Bretna accept the job offer, the problem is she doesn't know signing language, but she has all summer to prepare herself and she takes class in the the deaf community, there she met Curtis is a deaf man who teaches ASL (American Sign Language)and payed him for extra tutoring lessons. Bot with the handsome charismatic Curtis it was just a matter of time before a relationship was built(Even tough, he claim that he don't date with hearing women).
I thought it funny that, when she meet Alex she realized Alex’s signing ability was sloppier than hers. Alex just wants to fit in like any other boy at his age.
As the story keep unfolding we learn about her dysfunctional family, ans her journey to live her life Independent from there clutches. I must admit in this point, that Bretna throw me into my personal story and at times I found myself crying, but still I couldn't stop reading till the end of the book. Not many, succeed to do this, and even my personal story is not the same I could find the similarities and it made me wonder, what would happen to me if I chose the art way to fulfill.
This Book is also about communication/or miscommunication - between the hearing and the deaf, among family members, between teachers (tutors,interpreters) and students, between roommates, between couples. The sign for "think-hearing." for instance, means "A deaf person who tries to be like a hearing person...." And Teri Kanefield bring out that the differences between the deaf community and the hearing community aren't just about language.
And it also touches forms of mental illnesses without naming any specific ones. Bretna raised by an emotionally unavailable father and a mentally unstable mother. Her mother blamed Bretna for every bad thing that happened and constantly told her and every one else that she is a violent, bad person and Bretna believed her. At 18, Bretna left home and moved across the country. meeting different people family and other that know her family , in purpose to understand why her family is so dysfunctional and whether she was crazy too or not.
Bretna, always felt as an outsider, with her family and now in her relationship with Curtis, which loved very much, and his friend from the deaf community. But this background helped her in her relationship with Alex, which was on his an outsider in an hearing society (school and family, the same. She could understand him better then his own mother who has an academic title in learning disabilities, better then his consultant who herself had a deaf son and better them Curtis who had issues with hearing people. So she was the only one which Alex trusted, and for a long time he was the only one who able to do this.
It took time to bring others to learn how to appreciate this quite, talented, sensitive person that she was.
Now, to the title - only after I started to read the book the real meaning of it sank into me and I think it's fits, so fit that it's like glove to the plot. like glove to the plot. The title is so right and so ingenious that it made me wonder, why it never occurred to me before how deaf person would manage without a light (and please, don't bring forward Helen Keller, which I admire too).
Anyway, I got this book by mail, two months ago from the author, and I didn't had the chance to read from too many reasons, that I almost forgot that I had it at all. But guess what, after a YA fantasy book after YA fantasy book, so many books which I started and after few pages or few chapters max.... I decided that I need a break something else for a change... so I looked at the piles of books which were waiting on me to read them, accumulating dust and started to go over them.... when I reached to "Turn On the Light So I Can Hear", I stopped enchanted by the cover turn it over to read the summery.... I didn't understand much from it.... only it is not a YA fantasy book.... and I wasn't disappointed more than this I really fell in love with it.
"Turn On the Light So I Can Hear" is a refreshing wind, it is written in a very precise language, it is like few detail drawing that can tell you the whole story. You can, practically, see the colors and shapes of the feelings. And this analogy didn't come out of the blue - because the main character Bretna - is an artist, who use her art to sort things. For example, she is using Colors to describe the character of the people around her, even though her main art is sculpturing. For her sculptures, she is using a very difficult material, broken glass... and when people asking her a bout this choice - her answer is always the same - the most beautiful art creations come from broken things.
As the story unfold, we will discover more and more layers to the young artist which just came out of school of art and in her desperation to survive, "bluffing" her way into a job (I put bluffing in quotation marks in purpose because I think it is not a total lie and the reader will understand this claim better when he will be too deep in the book). The job is - an interpreter and tutor for a 13 year old deaf boy, Alex, whose parents chose for him to go to a regular school, for 18 dollars per hour. In her interview she is also telling that at the age of 5 yo she suffered from hearing lose, which treated but since then in one ear she has an hearing disability. This small information will be important key to understand her better.
Bretna accept the job offer, the problem is she doesn't know signing language, but she has all summer to prepare herself and she takes class in the the deaf community, there she met Curtis is a deaf man who teaches ASL (American Sign Language)and payed him for extra tutoring lessons. Bot with the handsome charismatic Curtis it was just a matter of time before a relationship was built(Even tough, he claim that he don't date with hearing women).
I thought it funny that, when she meet Alex she realized Alex’s signing ability was sloppier than hers. Alex just wants to fit in like any other boy at his age.
As the story keep unfolding we learn about her dysfunctional family, ans her journey to live her life Independent from there clutches. I must admit in this point, that Bretna throw me into my personal story and at times I found myself crying, but still I couldn't stop reading till the end of the book. Not many, succeed to do this, and even my personal story is not the same I could find the similarities and it made me wonder, what would happen to me if I chose the art way to fulfill.
This Book is also about communication/or miscommunication - between the hearing and the deaf, among family members, between teachers (tutors,interpreters) and students, between roommates, between couples. The sign for "think-hearing." for instance, means "A deaf person who tries to be like a hearing person...." And Teri Kanefield bring out that the differences between the deaf community and the hearing community aren't just about language.
And it also touches forms of mental illnesses without naming any specific ones. Bretna raised by an emotionally unavailable father and a mentally unstable mother. Her mother blamed Bretna for every bad thing that happened and constantly told her and every one else that she is a violent, bad person and Bretna believed her. At 18, Bretna left home and moved across the country. meeting different people family and other that know her family , in purpose to understand why her family is so dysfunctional and whether she was crazy too or not.
Bretna, always felt as an outsider, with her family and now in her relationship with Curtis, which loved very much, and his friend from the deaf community. But this background helped her in her relationship with Alex, which was on his an outsider in an hearing society (school and family, the same. She could understand him better then his own mother who has an academic title in learning disabilities, better then his consultant who herself had a deaf son and better them Curtis who had issues with hearing people. So she was the only one which Alex trusted, and for a long time he was the only one who able to do this.
It took time to bring others to learn how to appreciate this quite, talented, sensitive person that she was.
February 4, 2018
At first I didn't like the book. I kept reading and am so glad I did. This is a good read and I'm happy to have finished it.
April 8, 2022
An interesting, fun read, especially if one has an interest in learning sign language.
Food: Fish & chips with a cherry chocolate beer.
Food: Fish & chips with a cherry chocolate beer.
March 5, 2017
Easy read concerning a difficult topic.
April 21, 2016
While the description of this book's plot lead me to believe that it was mostly focused on how the hearing and Deaf worlds both collide and align, I found that that is actually not the case, and the description is misleading (I do not like summarizing the plot in reviews, as anyone can read the descriptions hear on Goodreads, Amazon, or from other reviewers). Turn On the Light So I Can Hear does include relationships between Deaf and hearing, and touches upon issues that the Deaf community faces, but hardly at all. This book barely cracked the surface of Deaf Culture, and the oppression Deaf individuals have faced throughout history and currently, both intentional and not.
Instead, this book seemed to be geared more toward the main character's journey of self-discovery through creating artwork representing her past, and through her new relationships with members of the Deaf community.
However, as an ASL Interpreter myself, and one who happens to be in an educational setting, I couldn't help but continuously cringe as Bretna made countless poor decisions during her new job as interpreter to a deaf student, Alex. The first one being her thinking that she could even be an interpreter at all with ASL skills that were minimal at best, and no interpreting experience or training at all. Unfortunately, similar occurrences happen more in the field of interpreting than many of us realize or know about.
Pros: Having Deaf characters and communication in ASL. The description of Bretna's artwork, which made me wish I could see them for myself in person. I am by no means an artist, but I could imagine, through the details of her sculptures, how beautiful the colored shattered glass pieces came together and displayed complex emotions.
Cons: Misleading description. Some things seemed pointless, like Bretna's new roommate Rosie, who seemed to have no real purpose in the book. The ending was abrupt and left me wondering what happened, and why it randomly ended after a school hiking trip. Through reading other's reviews, I see that there is a sequel coming, however, that doesn't change my thoughts on this book, as there is no feeling at the conclusion that the story was going to continue.
Overall, it was entertaining and quick, so I would recommend it if you're looking for that style.
Instead, this book seemed to be geared more toward the main character's journey of self-discovery through creating artwork representing her past, and through her new relationships with members of the Deaf community.
However, as an ASL Interpreter myself, and one who happens to be in an educational setting, I couldn't help but continuously cringe as Bretna made countless poor decisions during her new job as interpreter to a deaf student, Alex. The first one being her thinking that she could even be an interpreter at all with ASL skills that were minimal at best, and no interpreting experience or training at all. Unfortunately, similar occurrences happen more in the field of interpreting than many of us realize or know about.
Pros: Having Deaf characters and communication in ASL. The description of Bretna's artwork, which made me wish I could see them for myself in person. I am by no means an artist, but I could imagine, through the details of her sculptures, how beautiful the colored shattered glass pieces came together and displayed complex emotions.
Cons: Misleading description. Some things seemed pointless, like Bretna's new roommate Rosie, who seemed to have no real purpose in the book. The ending was abrupt and left me wondering what happened, and why it randomly ended after a school hiking trip. Through reading other's reviews, I see that there is a sequel coming, however, that doesn't change my thoughts on this book, as there is no feeling at the conclusion that the story was going to continue.
Overall, it was entertaining and quick, so I would recommend it if you're looking for that style.
April 11, 2016
At eighteen, Bretna had fled her dysfunctional family across the country to New England for a new, less complicated life in art school. Now as an artist, to help keep herself afloat financially, she applies to be an interpreter/tutor for a deaf student in a local high school. Being fluent in American Sign Language has turned out to be a requirement. Okay, she thinks,--though she doesn't know more than a few words in sign--how hard could it be? She has all summer to learn it.
Bretna is an amalgam of risk-taking and insecurity; both are strategies of survival in her family. Still, she is often unaware of when those opposite behaviors are useful or just unwise. And in discovering that Sign takes much, much longer to learn than she imagined, she still remains unaware of the insult to the deaf community that her assumption reveals.
I liked the opposing perspectives of three characters regarding deaf culture. Her sign classes are taught by Curtis, the only deaf member of his own family. He is an avatar of deaf culture in opposition to that of the hearing world. Alex, the student Bretna will tutor, rejects the deaf world, wanting to be mainstreamed with hearing students. Bretna identifies as fully hearing, even though she has had some hearing loss since childhood.
This is a hard book to review because the narrative skips forward and backward in time, with a chronology of Bretna's understanding about events in her family not always clear. Though flashbacks are cleanly presented, it was hard to distinguish a clear progression in the maturation of her thinking. Or even the sequence of events that led to it.
I enjoyed the complexity of how the conflict between deaf and hearing culture played a part in the relationships. I also liked having my sign vocabulary refreshed by their descriptions within the events. Especially so for the linguistic differences between ASL and the signing of exact English (SEE). It enhanced seeing the events in my mind's eye. (329 e-pages)
Two and a half stars
February 1, 2015
I received an advance reader copy of the book for free through Story Cartel. I chose to read this one because of the title and because I was intrigued by the premise. A young woman takes on a job as an interpreter for a deaf high school student, even though she does not know a lot of sign language. She takes a course to learn enough to be his interpreter, and forms a relationship with the teacher of the course. As the story progresses, we flash between scenes of her childhood as she tries to unravel why she felt so different growing up, and present day where she is trying her best to help this young man.
I thought this book had a great plot, and it certainly kept me interested to the end. The topic of deaf people and different ways they may view and approach the hearing world was of interest to me because of my past study of ASL. The story of a young woman leaving home and making her way in the world also interested me, as I like to read about how other people's lives go at that crucial time of being on their own for the first time.
The writing is good, and the story moves along at a good pace, even with the flashbacks. I didn't feel that it went as deep as it could have, as in some places I found myself wanting just a little bit more detail, a little bit longer of a scene, to help me picture what was happening. I had a bit of a hard time relating to the main character, but perhaps part of what made it hard to connect with her was my lack of understanding of her artistic tendencies. She looks at the world in a completely different way than I can imagine, seeing people as colors (or dogs, in some cases). She did grow on me over time and by the end I was genuinely interested in her and how her life would turn out.
Overall, I liked it a lot. I was glad to read a book that showcased a community who I don't see many books about, and how the parents of deaf or hearing impaired children could struggle to know how to raise them.
I thought this book had a great plot, and it certainly kept me interested to the end. The topic of deaf people and different ways they may view and approach the hearing world was of interest to me because of my past study of ASL. The story of a young woman leaving home and making her way in the world also interested me, as I like to read about how other people's lives go at that crucial time of being on their own for the first time.
The writing is good, and the story moves along at a good pace, even with the flashbacks. I didn't feel that it went as deep as it could have, as in some places I found myself wanting just a little bit more detail, a little bit longer of a scene, to help me picture what was happening. I had a bit of a hard time relating to the main character, but perhaps part of what made it hard to connect with her was my lack of understanding of her artistic tendencies. She looks at the world in a completely different way than I can imagine, seeing people as colors (or dogs, in some cases). She did grow on me over time and by the end I was genuinely interested in her and how her life would turn out.
Overall, I liked it a lot. I was glad to read a book that showcased a community who I don't see many books about, and how the parents of deaf or hearing impaired children could struggle to know how to raise them.
January 9, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the author via LibraryThing’s Member Giveaways in return for an honest review.
For me, the plot line could have been tighter. Yes, Bretna is a starving artist, but what is her end objective? She obviously takes on the job for the $18/hour paycheck because bills are tight, but there is a real disconnect about what her plans are for when school ends.
What the reader is given is a good chunk of a story that would be better if it were plumped out. The transitions within the story were sudden and jarring, and the story skidded to a sudden and unanticipated stop, leaving issues unresolved (Bretna/Alex/school, Bretna/Curtis, Bretna/herself).
Within chapter changes were confusing. One moment Bretna is interpreting for Alex in the present, and in the next paragraph she’s narrating a scene from her past. SomeTHING needs to be used to distinguish between past and present narrative (e.g., italics for scenes of the past)
What is the point of Rosie? I found her extremely irritating, and I don’t think she added anything to the story at all. The scene where Bretna sees Curtis while she’s out with Rosie chasing her on-again/off-again boyfriend could have been written differently for Bretna to make her observations and not to include Rosie and her melodrama.
There is one very magical aspect of the story that I loved – Bretna’s way of describing people using color. For example, her description of her sign language instructor Curtis as “a reflective blue mixed with green, the color of a tropical ocean—cool but teeming with life and enormous depth” [Teri Kanefield. Turn On the Light So I Can Hear (Kindle Locations 291-292). Armon Books. Kindle Edition.]. I am a very visual reader who creates pictures in my head as I read, so having characters described in this way was fresh and wonderfully different.
For me, the plot line could have been tighter. Yes, Bretna is a starving artist, but what is her end objective? She obviously takes on the job for the $18/hour paycheck because bills are tight, but there is a real disconnect about what her plans are for when school ends.
What the reader is given is a good chunk of a story that would be better if it were plumped out. The transitions within the story were sudden and jarring, and the story skidded to a sudden and unanticipated stop, leaving issues unresolved (Bretna/Alex/school, Bretna/Curtis, Bretna/herself).
Within chapter changes were confusing. One moment Bretna is interpreting for Alex in the present, and in the next paragraph she’s narrating a scene from her past. SomeTHING needs to be used to distinguish between past and present narrative (e.g., italics for scenes of the past)
What is the point of Rosie? I found her extremely irritating, and I don’t think she added anything to the story at all. The scene where Bretna sees Curtis while she’s out with Rosie chasing her on-again/off-again boyfriend could have been written differently for Bretna to make her observations and not to include Rosie and her melodrama.
There is one very magical aspect of the story that I loved – Bretna’s way of describing people using color. For example, her description of her sign language instructor Curtis as “a reflective blue mixed with green, the color of a tropical ocean—cool but teeming with life and enormous depth” [Teri Kanefield. Turn On the Light So I Can Hear (Kindle Locations 291-292). Armon Books. Kindle Edition.]. I am a very visual reader who creates pictures in my head as I read, so having characters described in this way was fresh and wonderfully different.
December 30, 2014
I must admit, I'm not much for reading books that would be considered current - anything less than 100 years old rarely makes the cut with me. My heart and mind have long belonged to the classics, which is a failing that I've been trying to correct lately. I'm so glad that I am, because my desire to expand my horizons has led me to read this gem.
Teri Kanefield is not an author whose name I was familiar with, but I came across a request for readers of this novel, and was immediately intrigued with the synopsis.
Bretna was a well-developed and sympathetic character. She starts off doing wrong, but I don't think there was ever a time when I was rooting against her. Alex was exactly what you would expect from a troubled teenager and Curtis showed that he wasn't as open-minded and emotionally advanced as he believed he was. The story flowed well with very few exceptions, and kept me reading far later at night than was good for me!
I would've liked to have seen more development of the way Bretna and Janae described people as colors and animals; this would've given them a bit more depth and was an interesting characteristic. I had trouble with Rosie's purpose. I understood why she was necessary later on, but was never really settled with her presence. Something just didn't fit with her. And I can't say what was missing at the end, but somehow it felt like it dropped off precipitously. Perhaps that was my subconscious response to wanting the story to go on, who knows?
Overall, this was a great story, and I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for more from this author.
*This is an honest review given in exchange for an e-book copy.*
Teri Kanefield is not an author whose name I was familiar with, but I came across a request for readers of this novel, and was immediately intrigued with the synopsis.
Bretna was a well-developed and sympathetic character. She starts off doing wrong, but I don't think there was ever a time when I was rooting against her. Alex was exactly what you would expect from a troubled teenager and Curtis showed that he wasn't as open-minded and emotionally advanced as he believed he was. The story flowed well with very few exceptions, and kept me reading far later at night than was good for me!
I would've liked to have seen more development of the way Bretna and Janae described people as colors and animals; this would've given them a bit more depth and was an interesting characteristic. I had trouble with Rosie's purpose. I understood why she was necessary later on, but was never really settled with her presence. Something just didn't fit with her. And I can't say what was missing at the end, but somehow it felt like it dropped off precipitously. Perhaps that was my subconscious response to wanting the story to go on, who knows?
Overall, this was a great story, and I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for more from this author.
*This is an honest review given in exchange for an e-book copy.*
September 10, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Easily, my favorite part of the whole book was the descriptions of Bretna's sculptures. They sound so beautiful and I wish that I could see work like that in person. Due to the author's in depth and detailed descriptions of the glass, the colors, and the sculpture itself, I was able to picture these pieces and even feel the emotions that she was attempting to convey in her work.
Now, to be honest, the book was set up in a way that was a bit confusing. One minute Bretna is talking about her family when she was younger, the next page she is an adult and at the doctor being told that she needs surgery. I don't know, I just didn't enjoy that much. Also, I feel like the story ended rather abruptly. I wish that, as a reader, we would have found out more about Alex, his school, and if he has accepted that he is deaf and went about living his life rather than being bitter. And Rosie... I am not quite sure what the the point was having her in the story. She seemed a bit unnecessary and rather annoying. I also wish that (and maybe it is just because I enjoy a bit of romance in a book) we were given more time to get to know Curtis and Bretna as a couple. Instead, one minute she's in his class and the next, they are dating and meeting each other's families. But that's just me, and I understand that it is not really necessary or the point of the story when writing a book giving insight into deaf culture.
This was also the first book that I have ever read regarding people with hearing disabilities or detailed descriptions about sign language, and I really enjoyed it.
Easily, my favorite part of the whole book was the descriptions of Bretna's sculptures. They sound so beautiful and I wish that I could see work like that in person. Due to the author's in depth and detailed descriptions of the glass, the colors, and the sculpture itself, I was able to picture these pieces and even feel the emotions that she was attempting to convey in her work.
Now, to be honest, the book was set up in a way that was a bit confusing. One minute Bretna is talking about her family when she was younger, the next page she is an adult and at the doctor being told that she needs surgery. I don't know, I just didn't enjoy that much. Also, I feel like the story ended rather abruptly. I wish that, as a reader, we would have found out more about Alex, his school, and if he has accepted that he is deaf and went about living his life rather than being bitter. And Rosie... I am not quite sure what the the point was having her in the story. She seemed a bit unnecessary and rather annoying. I also wish that (and maybe it is just because I enjoy a bit of romance in a book) we were given more time to get to know Curtis and Bretna as a couple. Instead, one minute she's in his class and the next, they are dating and meeting each other's families. But that's just me, and I understand that it is not really necessary or the point of the story when writing a book giving insight into deaf culture.
This was also the first book that I have ever read regarding people with hearing disabilities or detailed descriptions about sign language, and I really enjoyed it.
January 26, 2015
The synopsis says this story is about a woman bluffing her way into a job she isn't qualified for and the journey as the hearing and deaf worlds collide. While that is true, to me the story is more about the journey a young woman makes in reconciling her troubled upbringing, and her memories of it, to the realities of her life today.
Bretna was raised by an emotionally unavailable father and a mentally unstable mother. Her mother blamed Bretna for every bad thing that happened and constantly told her she was a violent, bad person. Bretna believed her. At 18, Bretna left home and moved across the country.
Now, at 26, she gets a job as an interpreter and tutor for a 13 year old deaf boy, Alex. Trouble is she doesn't know ASL. Curtis is a deaf man who teaches ASL. Bretna takes his class and pays him for extra tutoring lessons. Thus begins their journey as they explore the difficulties of the deaf in a hearing world and the hearing in a deaf world.
The story was very good. The characters were engaging and real. Alex' parents were overbearing and had unrealistic expectations of Alex' abilities to succeed in the hearing world considering he hadn't been taught how to survive in either world. As a teacher, I saw parents like this. Curtis' parents had some unrealistic expectations but they had better prepared Curtis. It has to be hard to know the best way to deal with being deaf.
My only problem was with the flashbacks. There was nothing to indicate when you were switching back and forth. There needs to be an obvious sign when switching back and forth.
4.5 Stars
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Bretna was raised by an emotionally unavailable father and a mentally unstable mother. Her mother blamed Bretna for every bad thing that happened and constantly told her she was a violent, bad person. Bretna believed her. At 18, Bretna left home and moved across the country.
Now, at 26, she gets a job as an interpreter and tutor for a 13 year old deaf boy, Alex. Trouble is she doesn't know ASL. Curtis is a deaf man who teaches ASL. Bretna takes his class and pays him for extra tutoring lessons. Thus begins their journey as they explore the difficulties of the deaf in a hearing world and the hearing in a deaf world.
The story was very good. The characters were engaging and real. Alex' parents were overbearing and had unrealistic expectations of Alex' abilities to succeed in the hearing world considering he hadn't been taught how to survive in either world. As a teacher, I saw parents like this. Curtis' parents had some unrealistic expectations but they had better prepared Curtis. It has to be hard to know the best way to deal with being deaf.
My only problem was with the flashbacks. There was nothing to indicate when you were switching back and forth. There needs to be an obvious sign when switching back and forth.
4.5 Stars
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 8, 2016
Turn On the Light So I Can Hear from Teri Kanefield is both a wonderful portrayal of many of the issues surrounding deaf culture in a largely hearing world as well as a sort of (partial) coming of age story.
Having a protagonist who straddles deaf culture (hearing impaired) and fully hearing brings a nuance to the events we see as she interacts with two very different extremes. She tutors a deaf student whose family has insisted he not embrace deaf culture and she also becomes involved with a deaf man who insists on a clear and distinct separation between hearing and non-hearing cultures. Watching these things play out is a large part of the enjoyment of the book.
In some ways Bretna begins experiencing some coming-of-age moments as she reflects back to her dysfunctional family while experiencing all of these new and exciting events. It seems to me that the process is still ongoing, but then maybe we are all always coming of age throughout life since each "age" brings different pluses and minuses.
Kanefield's writing is superb and makes the world come alive, particularly in the first part of the book. I think the descriptors become a little muted as the story develops as a way of contrasting the cultures, particularly the boundary areas of the cultures.
I would highly recommend this to readers young and old (as well as in between) for both the wonderful writing and the portrayal of deaf culture and its place within society as a whole.
Having a protagonist who straddles deaf culture (hearing impaired) and fully hearing brings a nuance to the events we see as she interacts with two very different extremes. She tutors a deaf student whose family has insisted he not embrace deaf culture and she also becomes involved with a deaf man who insists on a clear and distinct separation between hearing and non-hearing cultures. Watching these things play out is a large part of the enjoyment of the book.
In some ways Bretna begins experiencing some coming-of-age moments as she reflects back to her dysfunctional family while experiencing all of these new and exciting events. It seems to me that the process is still ongoing, but then maybe we are all always coming of age throughout life since each "age" brings different pluses and minuses.
Kanefield's writing is superb and makes the world come alive, particularly in the first part of the book. I think the descriptors become a little muted as the story develops as a way of contrasting the cultures, particularly the boundary areas of the cultures.
I would highly recommend this to readers young and old (as well as in between) for both the wonderful writing and the portrayal of deaf culture and its place within society as a whole.
January 2, 2015
For anyone who has never experienced the trials and tribulations of having a hearing impairment, or knowing someone who does, this novel is a great window into that world. As someone who grew up with a parent who was partially deaf, this novel really hit the experiences a person could have.
It’s also a great story about someone who never fit in with her family, yet was desperate to do so; how it took years to truly find a place where she was welcome and felt “at home”.
As an artist, Bretna ends up needing a “day job” (something most artists can relate to) due to her artwork not selling like it had been. Something is missing in her sculptures. So when she accepts a position as a interpreter for a hearing impaired student, she ends up taking an ASL (American Sign Language) class to brush up on an old skill. What she gets is a stubborn teenage boy who doesn’t want to show his impairment and an instructor who doesn’t think deaf students should learn in the “hearing” world.
Teri did an amazing job with conveying the deaf world versus the hearing world. Her details and dialogue were engaging and kept me turning the page. I highly recommend this novel, regardless of what you typically read. I typically don't read anything in this genre, but it kept me interested and thinking about it long after the last page was read.
It’s also a great story about someone who never fit in with her family, yet was desperate to do so; how it took years to truly find a place where she was welcome and felt “at home”.
As an artist, Bretna ends up needing a “day job” (something most artists can relate to) due to her artwork not selling like it had been. Something is missing in her sculptures. So when she accepts a position as a interpreter for a hearing impaired student, she ends up taking an ASL (American Sign Language) class to brush up on an old skill. What she gets is a stubborn teenage boy who doesn’t want to show his impairment and an instructor who doesn’t think deaf students should learn in the “hearing” world.
Teri did an amazing job with conveying the deaf world versus the hearing world. Her details and dialogue were engaging and kept me turning the page. I highly recommend this novel, regardless of what you typically read. I typically don't read anything in this genre, but it kept me interested and thinking about it long after the last page was read.
January 9, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I was pulled into the story right away and quickly felt connected to the main characters. I especially liked the the descriptions of Bretna's art pieces. I could really picture them clearly from the author's words. I liked the way that Bretna did not dwell on her past or let it ruin her present and future. Occasionally it was a little confusing when the chapters flashed back and forth between past and present, and I wish that Alex's situation had been wrapped up a little more. But overall I liked this book very much. I finished it in less than 24 hours because I was engaged enough to want to just keep reading. And when the end came, I wished that I could spend a little more time with the characters. Something that I particularly liked about the book was that - given Bretna's sad past, Alex's troubles, and Bretna's current issues with her hearing, love life, and roommates - the book could have been very dark. I love that it was light without MAKING light of the issues.
February 1, 2015
*I received an advanced readers editions from story cartel*
I decided to read this book because of the synopsis and reviews being given. I thought it was a great and fantastic read. This is my first time reading a book by this author, and although the book didn't go as deep as I would have liked it to be, it still was very intriguing. The pace of the book was perfect and the story plot wasn't too fast or too slow. The writing was okay and besides all of these elements, I enjoyed the story itself. The characters portrayed in the book made me feel like as if I had met or knew them. If characters in books do that to me, then I know that I must have really liked the book. I also like reading different points of view and this story did have that so I enjoyed it.
Rate of 4 stars :)
I decided to read this book because of the synopsis and reviews being given. I thought it was a great and fantastic read. This is my first time reading a book by this author, and although the book didn't go as deep as I would have liked it to be, it still was very intriguing. The pace of the book was perfect and the story plot wasn't too fast or too slow. The writing was okay and besides all of these elements, I enjoyed the story itself. The characters portrayed in the book made me feel like as if I had met or knew them. If characters in books do that to me, then I know that I must have really liked the book. I also like reading different points of view and this story did have that so I enjoyed it.
Rate of 4 stars :)
April 27, 2015
I loved this book. I didn't stop reading from page one to the end. Normally I don't like jumping from the past to the present and back and forth over and over. But in this book it worked perfectly. I don't think the book would have worked any other way. It was a wonderful set of characters that I really enjoyed getting to know. The descriptive quality of the writer was wonderful. I could see the sculptures described in the book so clearly. Wish i could buy one. They sounded so beautiful. I learned a lot about the world the deaf live in and the hearing as well. And how each perceive the other. Just another form of prejudice we as humans have. And that we should not have. No one should be looked down upon for any reason. Just an absolutely wonderful book. I will need to read more from this author.
December 4, 2014
I received an ebook version of the book from the publishing company for an honest review.
I liked the book and thought the areas of deaf culture were interesting. At times, there wasn't a transition from the present day to the past and it was a bit confusing to figure out what was going on. There wasn't much character development beside that of the three main characters. I felt that there were several characters and scenes that were not necessary to the story. They seemed to be added as filler.
There were some issues with Bretna's family, her extended family and one of her roommates but to describe them as sick, sick, sick, was a bit much.
Overall, it was a pleasurable read, despite some inconsistencies.
I liked the book and thought the areas of deaf culture were interesting. At times, there wasn't a transition from the present day to the past and it was a bit confusing to figure out what was going on. There wasn't much character development beside that of the three main characters. I felt that there were several characters and scenes that were not necessary to the story. They seemed to be added as filler.
There were some issues with Bretna's family, her extended family and one of her roommates but to describe them as sick, sick, sick, was a bit much.
Overall, it was a pleasurable read, despite some inconsistencies.
May 7, 2015
This was a hard book for me to read, because the protagonists mother *IS* my mother. I grew up the eldest of three, the younger two pitted against me, my mother hating me (in my case, because I was like the sister she'd hated). Reading about my mother was HARSH. But I can't fault the author. She didn't know.
The story is unique and doesn't play by the rules - it dances around them. Which makes it fun and interesting...
But I couldn't give it five stars, because I don't like the ending. NOTHING is resolved... Alex is left in the air, the relationship with Curtis is up in the air, her family relationships, her art... it's like the book just STOPPED without anything being resolved. It irritated me.
Apparently not enough to drag the rating down. Hrm. That's interesting.
The story is unique and doesn't play by the rules - it dances around them. Which makes it fun and interesting...
But I couldn't give it five stars, because I don't like the ending. NOTHING is resolved... Alex is left in the air, the relationship with Curtis is up in the air, her family relationships, her art... it's like the book just STOPPED without anything being resolved. It irritated me.
Apparently not enough to drag the rating down. Hrm. That's interesting.
December 7, 2015
There is a lot going on in this book. A young woman is hired on as a translator for a deaf boy who is main streamed in regular high school. She has no knowledge of ASL and takes a crash course leading to the first relationship with the man teaching the class. Then there's a relationship between she and her roommates. Next we have a relationship with the deaf teenager, his parents and the people who hire her. I found some of these relationships to be a bit of a distraction and probably unnecessary. Another story line is that she learns she is partially deaf herself. While I liked the story in and of itself, I thought it could have been a more tightly woven story without so many subplots. The ending will leave you bewildered.
December 31, 2014
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is a very creative story; there are only a handful of stories that have deaf characters. This book has lots of pros and cons; mostly pros. The author was very descriptive about how the signs are made or when the art was being described. I could picture both of those things, which happens very rarely when I read a book. The biggest con that I had was when the story changed to the main characters past. It was a little confusing at first but i got used to it as the story went on. Overall this was a great story and I will recommend it to my friends.
This is a very creative story; there are only a handful of stories that have deaf characters. This book has lots of pros and cons; mostly pros. The author was very descriptive about how the signs are made or when the art was being described. I could picture both of those things, which happens very rarely when I read a book. The biggest con that I had was when the story changed to the main characters past. It was a little confusing at first but i got used to it as the story went on. Overall this was a great story and I will recommend it to my friends.
April 1, 2015
Teri Kanefield's startlling and compassionate story about Bretna, a talented yet shattered artist who takes a job tutoring a high school who is deaf in a "hearing" school is astonishingly good. Bretna has endured a completely dysfunctional family which, due in part to her personal partial hearing loss, has ostracized her and her talents. Her journey to healing and self love through her service to the young student, battling the system and his parents, and finding love with an ASL teacher is one that you will want to take your time to savor.
This book allows those of us with oral and hearing skills, a peek into the insular world of the non-hearing. Read this book!!
This book allows those of us with oral and hearing skills, a peek into the insular world of the non-hearing. Read this book!!
May 11, 2015
When I saw the title of the book, Turn on the Light So I Can Hear, I could not imagine what the book would be about. But the title is a catchy title. The story has the theme of deafness. Yet the book has so much more to it. The characters have flaws, weaknesses and hang ups just like real folks we all know. They also have strengths and talent. Art is an interesting addition. Throw in a teenager with all the angst that is part of being a teen. The result is a book with well thought out characters and an interesting story line. I liked this book. I highly recommend reading this one.
I did receive this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
I did receive this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
November 22, 2014
Deeper than just a romance
This story was a pleasant surprise. Bretna moves cross country to attend art school. Unable to sell her sculptures, she takes a job interpreting for a deaf high school boy. The catch is Bretna doesn't know sign language. She takes a course in ASL and finds herself attracted to the instructor, Curtis. The catch is Curtis doesn't date hearing women. Can Bretna convince him they belong together after all? This story also touches on issues of identity and belonging and understanding a troubled family past.
This story was a pleasant surprise. Bretna moves cross country to attend art school. Unable to sell her sculptures, she takes a job interpreting for a deaf high school boy. The catch is Bretna doesn't know sign language. She takes a course in ASL and finds herself attracted to the instructor, Curtis. The catch is Curtis doesn't date hearing women. Can Bretna convince him they belong together after all? This story also touches on issues of identity and belonging and understanding a troubled family past.
December 24, 2014
i received this book as a first reads promotion in exchange for an honest review. i was pleasantly surprised by this book. i especially liked the way author teri kanefield incorporated ASL into the story rather than just talking about "signing" in general. she manages to describe signs used so that even though one may not know the ASL sign you can figure out what it would look like. good characters and an honest look at the relationships between hearing people and the deaf, between family members and between teachers & students all added up to a satisfactory story.
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