The Sound of All Things

by Myron Uhlberg, Ted Papoulas (Illustrator)

Experience the sights and sounds of 1930s Brooklyn and Coney Island through the eyes—and ears—of a hearing boy and his deaf parents.

A Brooklyn family takes an outing to Coney Island, where they enjoy the rides, the food, and the sights. The father longs to know how everything sounds. Though his son does his best to interpret their noisy surroundings through sign language, he struggles to convey the subtle differences between the "loud" of the ocean and the "loud" of a roller coaster.

When the family drops in at the library after dinner, the boy makes a discovery. Perhaps the words he needs are within reach, after all.

Myron Uhlberg's story, based on his own childhood experiences, covers the almost unique topic within children's books of children raised by deaf parents. Ted Papoulas beautifully and sensitively portrays the family's day and brings the whole experience to life for readers.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, Disability, History, Memoir, Poetry

36 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2016

About the author

Myron Uhlberg is the critically acclaimed and award-winning author of a number of children’s books. He recently published a memoir of his life in Brooklyn, New York, growing up the oldest hearing son of deaf parents. He lives with his wife in Santa Monica and Palm Springs.

Reviews

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Myron's parents, who are both deaf, would often ask their son (especially his father) to be specific when describing sounds. This frustrates Myron, until he learns that library books have the power to help him answer his father's questions.

I read aloud this story to a class of Grade 3 students yesterday. Before starting; however, I relayed Myron Uhlberg's message in his Author's Note, in which he details his poignant memories that brought this story to light. I also discussed Ted Papoulas's realistic illustrations of Myron as a young boy with his parents in Brooklyn and Coney Island during the 1930s. Needless to say, none of these Bonnyville, Alberta students knew anything about this area and what they're known for (that Brooklyn is a borough of New York City with thousands of residents, and that Coney Island is famous for its amusement park and boardwalk along the ocean - luckily, being a voracious reader, I knew this much!) The end pages depicting the Brooklyn Bridge by day and night also helped with this discussion.

Overall, the students (and I) enjoyed the story and illustrations! I highly recommend this book for readers who:
1. are teaching a science unit about hearing and sound;
2. appreciate the power of books; and/or,
3. who want to understand what it feels like to be deaf and/or are living with the deaf.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Myron and Illustrator Ted Papoulas share the experience of a hearing boy growing up in 1930's Brooklyn with deaf parents. This picture book focuses on a day when the family celebrates July 4 on Coney Island before going out for Chinese and making a stop at the library. On their way home they enjoy the fireworks display from the water. Myron's dad wants him to describe sounds in the hearing world. That is difficult when you are just learning vocabulary yourself. I love the fact that Myron found help at the local library. In this book a librarian gives him a book of poetry to check out and share with his parents to help them hear what we hear. This is a beautiful book with an equally beautiful message. Be sure to look for the many places that the illustrator hid his mother's name (Sally) on many of the pages.

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Debbie for recommending this book to me!

I was immediately drawn to the stunning illustrations, and then the story warmed my heart. It hit different because it was semi-autobiographical.

I wouldn't hesitate to use this with upper elementary. They would relate to the young MC. Hasn't everyone helped their parent(s) with something (and maybe treated it like a chore)?

Great vocabulary and figurative language. Would be perfect for practicing visualizing. Beautiful sense of place and time.

Highly rec'd!

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sensitive portrayal of a child who is trying to learn to describe the sounds of his world to his deaf parents in a meaningful, resonant way. Great illustrations. I learned about this book from the blog, https://zezeewithbooks.wordpress.com.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an extraordinarily beautiful and moving book, filled with gouache and acrylic illustrations that take readers right to the busy streets of 1930s Brooklyn and the hustle, bustle, and fun of Coney Island. The narrator describes a day spent at the amusement park and in the neighborhood with his family. But because his parents are both deaf, they rely on how to find descriptive words to help them experience the sounds around them. The narrator finds that he lacks the words that will do justice to those sounds. When a librarian introduces him to a book of poetry that does so effectively, he realizes that he now has some of the tools he needs to meet his father's need to experience vicariously the marvelous sounds that surround him. While both parents are curious about the hearing world, his father seems to need more description than his mother. This is an excellent book to share with youngsters since it doesn't depict hearing impairment as a limitation but simply as a difference from the narrator's own experiences. I like the facial expressions on all of the characters.

[Nyapot Hogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you hear fireworks what kind of sounds do they make? How would you describe it? Try the best you can. What about the ocean? What sounds does the water make? How many of you have been on a roller coaster or a mari-go-round? Can you describe the kind of sound it makes?

The reason I open this story by asking about different sounds is that in the book The Sound of All things is a story about a little boy who has two deaf parents. They go on an outing to an amusement park and then to the beach. His father who is always curious about the way things sound always asks his son, "what does this sound like?" and instead of wanting to hear weak words such as "loud." He always wants his son to describe the sound in detail so he can understand since he can't hear. The boy, who wants to help his father checks out a book about sounds to help him to help him better describe them to his father.

My opening strategy works because it causes the kids to think about how you describe a sound to someone. It is easy and engaging and something they can grasp.

[Rachel]

[Show the cover to the children] Why is the boy covering his ears? [Children respond] Why do you think the parents are NOT covering their ears? In this book, The Sound of All things, the parents of the boy are deaf so they can’t hear. The boy describes sounds for his father. Because the parents can’t hear, they must be extra careful with their sight. So be sure to play attention to the pictures, too. You can be like the boy and describe what each scene might sound like.
(Prompt hypothesizing based on the situation) Asking the children about the cover has them hypothesize what the story will be dealing about it.
(Draws attention to action in illustrations) Asking the children to think about the cover and the rest of the illustrations helps explain how the parents see the world.
(Lay the groundwork for children’s understanding of diverse settings and people) Using the cover will introduce the children to the concept of being deaf and how it affects people’s lives.

[David LaDay]

“The Sound of All Things”
As you settle into your spots on the floor, I would 100% of your attention. This book (show the students the book) has bright and colorful illustrations. I am going to show you them before I read it. Look at the magnificent details and the vibrant colors. (I thumb through all of the pages and point out significant illustrations. After doing this, I turn back to the front of the book.) Now that you a have seen illustrations I want you to think about what you would say to someone see. How would you explain the details and the bright colors to a blind person? (All the kids to ponder this question and share responses.)
This story is about a boy whose father and mother are deaf and the boy struggles to describe what the sound of the rollercoaster to him. Often times we do not think about what life is like for someone with an impairment. This story does a good job of helping us see a bit of that. Let get started.
Moves:
> Draw attention to the illustrations
> Engage students with the language of the text
> Get students to empathize with the text

[Ivy Armitage]

Read Aloud script:
Open book to the first page and read the first three sentences out loud. "Who knows what we call it when a person talks by shaping letters or words with their hands? (children respond) Why do people use this form of communication? (children respond) What does the word deaf mean?" (children respond) *clarify meaning if needed* Now close the book and show the cover. Read the book title out loud. "What do you think this book is going to be about? (children respond) Let's read the rest of the book to see if you are right." Once I have read page three stop for a brief discussion. What does the father mean when he says that he can hear the wheels turning on the tracks through his hands and feet?" I will point out that the boy uses the words "like or as" so his parents can understand description of sound better. Ask students to be on the look out for this throughout the rest of the book.

Opening moves used:

Prompt predictions based on the title
Tell the meaning of a key word
Draw attention to language in text
Read some of the text to engage attention
Activate background knowledge

[Jessica Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you know what it means to be deaf? (discuss the meaning, have kids cover their ears and listen to my voice. Note: you can still hear muffled noise and that people who are deaf cannot hear even that muffled sound) If I asked you to describe to me what fireworks sounded like, just like on our cover, what are some words you would use to describe them? (listen to responses) Now imagine if you had to always describe what you were hearing to someone. Would that be difficult? We would definitely need a thesaurus!! (make connection to this reference book, previously taught) In our story today we will read about how a little boy gets to do just that, EVERYDAY!

*make connection to previous lesson on thesaurus (synonyms)
*foreshadow problem
*meaning of keyword *deaf
*raise interest in topic

[Mary Vondra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opening Moves
*Raise questions in the readers’ minds
*Draw attention to the setting

*Raise questions in the readers’ minds
Play a short piece of music for the students. Ask the students how they would use words to describe the music. Would it be hard to describe the sound of the music to someone who could not hear? How do we communicate with someone who doesn’t hear?
*Draw attention to the setting
What is the setting of a story? The setting is where the story takes place. (Give examples) The setting is also when the story takes place. This story takes place in the past. It says inside the book cover that it takes place in the 1930’s. That is almost 100 years ago! How do you think life was different? Pay attention to the pictures and see if you can see how life was different?

[Zezee · Rating 5 out of 5]

As posted on Zezee with Books.

This one was also great. It’s a heartfelt illustrated children’s book set in Brooklyn during the 1930s and is about a young hearing boy hanging out with his deaf parents at Coney Island and describing the sound of things to his father. I loved it because it reverses the parent-child dynamic. Instead of the child constantly asking the parent to explain something, the boy instead has to describe things to his father, who is eager and excited to know what the things around them sound like. My favorite part is this passage where the boy’s mother asks the father why he always wants to know what things sound like:

“Look at how the sunlight is caught in the waves,” my mother signed.

“Yes,” my father answered. “I wonder how they sound.”

“Why do you always want to know what things sound like?” my mother asked. “You and I will never hear them.”

“But I will,” he signed strongly. “In my mind.”

I also love the part that follows this section where the boy realizes that he doesn’t know enough words to adequately describe the sounds he hears to his father. I think that’s quite realistic since the boy is so young. We aren’t told his age, but we can tell from the illustrations that he’s probably pre-teen or a little younger than that.

The story draws on the Uhlberg’s experiences. He grew up in Brooklyn and was a hearing child of deaf parents. Though the book is very short, I think it accomplishes a lot in its story. The realistic illustrations greatly help as well. Papoulas’s illustrations are large and very detailed and it seems to me that they are paintings, though sometimes it looks like he probably used pastels. I wish the illustrators would say what they used to create the artwork in these books. (Update: He used "gouache and acrylic on illustration board. No pastels.")

Overall: ★★★★★

Great story and illustrations. It’s another good one to read aloud to kids and the large, realistic pictures would certainly help. I think it’s good to read the author’s note too in which he talks a little about his childhood.

Another good read that I recommend.

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sensitive story of a boy with deaf parents as he struggles to describe the sounds he hears during a trip to cony island. Love that the librarian gives him a poetry book to find more words, I thought it would be a thesaurus.

[Emily Stearns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful art & realistic premise. I would recommend for all young readers, whether or not they have a deaf person in their life.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me teary!

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations in this were just breathtaking.
Also, it was a neat look at having two deaf parents.

[Sierra Nikole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sound of all Things by Myron Uhlberg, illustrations by Ted Papoulas
© 2016
This book begins with a young boy and his mom and dad at Coney Island for a very adventurous day! They ride the roller coasters, sit on the beaches and feed the nearby animals, grab some Chinese food to feed themselves, and then stay in the park into the night to watch beautiful fireworks! The only thing you may not have guessed by now though, is that the father and mother are Deaf, and the boy is hearing. All through their day, the father is asking his son to use sign language to interpret to him what their surroundings sound like, such as the the roller coaster they rode or even the ocean waves. This boy searches for ways to convey sound to his Deaf father, but is also left unknowing and not as helpful as he would like to be. During the day in this book though, this bright boy gets the idea to look in the library for a resource for his father, and when the librarian hears what the boy is trying to do, she gets down a poem book about the ocean! You’ll have to read the book though, to find out if he ever gives his father the book…

This book (and a research project at school) has caused me to delve into and learn about the Deaf community. I had never really taken another thought to what I had understood was the “disability” of being Deaf, but this book changed my perspective and my knowledge, as well as enabled me to look at it through the eyes of a child. The hearing child of Deaf parents is known as a coda, and there are many real struggles associated with living this life, even though Deaf parents are still perfectly capable of raising children in a loving, communicating relationship. There are simply more hoops to jump through when living in this unique family life. The illustrations in this book are like that of an oil painting, and show a lot of the emotion and feeling in them throughout the book. They always are complimenting the direction of the author. The illustrations also have many bright colors, and dramatic and unique background scenes that are beautiful to study. The characters are quite simple, but the writer tells the reader just enough about the main character so that the reader can have sympathy and feel related to him. For a great and diverse book, take the time to read this book!
(MGRP)

[Morgan Sorensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very open to interpretation because this book is solely illustrations and no words. In order to really understand what is happening in this book you have to read all the information given to you by the author. This book starts with a boy and his father riding a rollercoaster. On the following pages, you can see that this family is taking a trip to Coney Island. After riding the rollercoaster they go to the ocean and take in the sea breeze. After the family enjoys dinner they go to a library and the boy makes a realization in the books there. When they leave the library fireworks are going off and they are so loud the boy covers his ears. In the end, it shows a picture of the family at home and the boy reading the book he got from the library. After reading the author note you can tell that the story is about a hearing boy and his deaf parents. They go on this trip and the boy can hear all the sound of the rollercoaster, ocean, and fireworks that the parents long to hear themselves. This book was really cool to read because I have never read a book that has had this type of concept before or perspective at all. I thought this could be a really cool book to show younger kiddos.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a good story about the experience of a hearing child to deaf parents. The author, who is a hearing child of deaf parents, helps us understand his world as well as his parent's, especially his father. We learn that sometimes the father feels frustration and not knowing what things sound like and we come to understand the son's frustration at having to explain sounds that he does not have the vocabulary for and also his desire to not have to take the time to explain. However, in the last half of the story, after his visit to the library where a librarian introduces a book to him that has poetry that describes the sound of the ocean, we see the son have more of a desire to share descriptive words with his father and the text of the story becomes more descriptive also.
The sweetness of this family and their day doing activities together made this a special story. The illustrations are beautiful and the author's note at the end should not be missed.

[Jackie Sisley · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, a young boy takes an emotional and empathetic journey though Coney Island as he attempts to explain sounds to his deaf father. It is beautifully illustrated and engaging. Uhlberg does a spectacular job of conveying the emotions of both the deaf father and his hearing son throughout the book. Children can get a feel for the characters' frustration for the roles they are forced to play by the reality of their situations and the love and empathy the characters hold for each other. It is a good representation of a diverse family that is not represented frequently in literature: two deaf parents and a hearing child. The book incorporates the use of diverse poetry rich in imagery, which is something I love to see in children's literature. The Sound of All Things is a truly unique work full of beauty and understanding.

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book with the boys as a bedtime story. "The Sound of All Things" is a story about a young hearing boy and his deaf parents. It only covers one day and their trip out to Coney Island. The deaf father wants to know what things sound like so he turns to his son for help. This leads the son to search for a way to learn the words needed to be able to help grant his father's wish.

Sweet, small story inspired by the author's real life experiences. The artist did a wonderful job as well with the book and hid some sweet surprises throughout the pages of this book; the names of his daughters. ^_^

Definitely a fun, quick read for any age group and a beautiful window into a life many of us will never experience personally.

[Shelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated picture book that is based on the life of the author, Myron Uhlberg, a hearing person being raised by two deaf parents. I appreciated how this story showcased the joys and challenges C.O.D.A.’s (Children Of Deaf Adults) have. Myron had two worlds, the silent one with his parents where he communicated with sign language, and the noisy world of the hearing where they needed to take on the job of interpreting for their parents at an early age. Additionally, this story discusses the importance of library and having that one perfect place where everyone can find their words. As a lover of libraries these accolades always make me happy to read.

[Karen Gedeon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sound of All Things by Myron Uhlberg – a beautifully illustrated picture book narrated by a boy whose parents are deaf. The father asks the boy to describe the sounds he hears as they visit an ocean side amusement park, go out to dinner and see fireworks. With the help of the local librarian, the boy finds just the right words to describe the sounds his father is unable to hear. Illustrator Ted Papoulas used gouache and acrylic on gessoed illustration board to create rich vivid pictures which bring the reader to Coney Island in the 1950s. Ages 3+

[Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an aspiring author, I found this book provided a wonderful example of how important it is to choose the best word to convey your perception of a sound, sight or situation.
Imagine wrapping yourself in a blanket of silence, what would you yearn to hear to help you create a more full understanding of an experience?
The Sounds of All Things, gives the reader an opportunity to explore a world in a way they may have never considered.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful and touching story about a boy describing sounds of things like the ocean, to his father who lost his hearing as a child.
At the end of the book, Myron Uhlberg, an award-winning author tells about how when he was a baby in a crib, he signed his love for his mother and father with his small hands!
The boy in the story learns about words from his local library. Check this book out!

[Justin Dolezal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an eye opening book to me because it is about a young boy with deaf parents and his dad always wants to know what everything sounds like and asks him to describe the sounds so the young child goes to a library to learn more words about how to describe sounds. Interesting book because I think its something that people don't really think about all that often. Will for sure have this in my classroom.

[Tracy Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young boy grows up in a family where he is the only one who is not deaf. His father is always wanting descriptions of the "sounds of things." While the main character tries to take the easy way out, the father pushes him to make analogies, find similar sounds, and help him understand how things sound.

This book is partially autobiographical in nature, the main character was born to deaf parents, and was the only one in the family who could hear.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a true story that the author writes about his childhood and growing up with deaf parents. His dad constantly asks him to describe the sounds that he hears and the boy struggles to find the right words to give these descriptions. The boy then discovers how books from the library can help with this.

[Serina · Rating 1 out of 5]

The subject matter itself was fascinating. Boy's parents are deaf so he has to descibe the world to them, especially his dad. It balances out the difficulty of being relied on by your parents vs. the amazing gift of sound he has. Good fit for 3/4 grade due to wordiness.

[Amanda Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved how there was representation of signing and deaf culture in this book. The end felt a little bit anticlimactic, but I thought it was a sweet story and there are not enough books for kids that have deaf characters.