Mother Tongue: A Memoir

by Sara Nović

In this emotionally rich first memoir, the New York Times bestselling author of True Biz retraces her path out of the hearing world and into the deaf community - and seeks to understand the journeys her own children must take.

Sara Nović's early years were filled with music, Bible study, and a strong desire to fit in. But when she failed her school's mandated hearing test, her worldview was thrown into chaos. Desperate not to be marked as different, she told no one, staying in the hearing world for as long as she could by brute force.

Eventually unable to ignore the fact that she was deaf, Nović sought out other deaf people and was welcomed into a tight knit community rooted in the beauty and joy of American Sign Language. Nović realized that rather than maintaining the facade of her old life or trying to straddle two worlds, she would need to cultivate a life in the space between.

Now the mother of two young sons - one, biological and hearing, the other, adopted and deaf-Nović reflects on her life both before and after parenthood. She's raising her children within the deaf world, offering them things her younger self needed, all the while knowing that as her children grow, their own paths will branch off from hers in ways she cannot fully predict or plan for.

Interwoven with Novic's personal story is a remarkable portrait of America through reflections on some of its most complex the rise of the Christian right, the thorny world of international adoption, and above all, the deaf and disabled communities' stubborn survival in the face of persistent oppression.

Nović's clear, bold voice is one readers will hold onto, learn from, argue with, and be inspired by, as she asks us to recognize difference as a source of opportunity rather than fear, as a chance to draw families and communities together, and to build something new.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Disability, Biography Memoir, Adoption

272 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 5, 2026

About the author

Sara Nović is author of the novels TRUE BIZ and GIRL AT WAR, as well as the illustrated nonfiction collection AMERICA IS IMMIGRANTS. Both novels won the American Library Association's Alex Award, and True Biz was a Reese's Book Club pick and NYT bestseller.

MOTHER TONGUE, a new memoir hybrid, is out 5 May 2026 and available for pre-order now.

Sara teaches creative writing and deaf studies, and lives in Philly.

[website] https://sara-novic.com
[bsky] novicsara.bsky.social
[insta/threads] photonovic
[newsletter]: buttondown.com/signs+wonders

Reviews

[kennedy parrish]

Very excited for this one! Sara Novic wrote one of my favorite fiction books a couple of years ago, and so I am down to read whatever's next from her.

[Ryan Brandenburg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a rather mediocre reading experience with Sara Nović’s debut novel, which revolves around a diverse cast of characters within the Deaf community. Unfortunately, it failed to bring the emotional connection I had wanted.

So, when I discovered that the author was writing a memoir, I decided to give her writing another chance. I received an advanced copy of the memoir through NetGalley and the publisher, Random House.

It’s difficult to review this book, which was labeled a memoir, because it quickly didn’t feel like one. There were lengthy sections that felt more like nonfiction and excessively historical. While I did enjoy some parts where I gained new insights into the history of the Deaf community, this book fell short of the depth of the “memoir” experience I had initially anticipated.

If this topic intrigues you, this book might be a good fit. However, if you’re looking to explore a more personal experience on this subject, I would suggest finding something that’s a better fit on your TBR list.

[Kasa Cotugno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sara Novic's case is unusual as she spent her early years hearing without impediment. At the vulnerable age of 12, she began losing the ability to hear, learned through a routine test at her school. Early on, not wanting to be regarded or treated as different, she hid her condition until she realized that it wasn't something shameful. This book is more than her story, but also a portrait of how deafness is regarded in America, the interesting history of treatments and perceptions. Also the matter of her adoption of a son unable to hear, which she is raising along with her natural son who was born hearing.

[Library of Dreaming (Bookstagram) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers for an early copy! This was searing & fantastic. Full review to come!