Can You Feel the Noise?

by Stewart Foster

A profound story about inner strength and perseverance in the face of a life-changing event, from the award-winning author of The Bubble Boy. Perfect for fans of R. J. Palacio's Wonder and Lisa Thompson's Goldfish Boy.

Life is going well for Sophie. She’s getting by at school, has some pretty awesome friends, and their band have made it through to the semifinals of the Battle of the Bands competition.

But when Sophie wakes up completely deaf one morning, the life she once knew seems like a distant memory. With lessons replaced by endless hospital appointments, and conversations now an exercise in lip-reading, Sophie grows quieter and quieter. Until she discovers the vibrations of sound through an old set of drums and wonders whether life onstage is actually still within reach.

Drawing on the author's own hearing impairment, Can You Feel the Noise? is a deeply personal and moving story that will stay with you long after reading.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

Published July 7, 2022

About the author

Stewart Foster lives in Bath and wishes he'd never left school. So he went back to university far too many years later and he wrote a book, We used to be Kings, and then he wrote another, The Bubble Boy, that was loved by The Guardian and many others. It won Sainsbury's book of the year 2016 (10+) and The Trinity Schools Book Award 2017 and many other library awards

'All the things that could go Wrong" has also won many school and library awards, and continues to be shortlisted.

His next novel will be published in May 2019



Like his page on Facebook - Stewart Foster Author and follow him on twitter @stewfoster1.

Reviews

[Zac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an empowering, inspirational read about a girl who loses her hearing, but doesn’t let that beat her. Stewart Foster takes you through all the emotions that you would feel if you woke up and suddenly couldn’t hear anything. With the help and support of her friends and family, Sophie is able to overcome her disability and find new ways of enjoying the music she loves. This is my first Stewart Foster book but I’ll be going back to read his previous books (which I’ve been meaning to do for ages). Great for ages 10+ who like stories about friends, family and music. Would be a great read aloud for Years 7/8.

[Katy Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest and sympathetic look at an adolescent coping with deafness.

I've read books by the author before, and was surprised to find out he has a hearing impairment through reading this. It's not something, as is evidenced in the story, you spot easily, and also as we see in the book - is very easy to forget about, leaving those affected left out and frustrated.

Foster gives us Sophie, enjoying her secondary school life in a band, with friends and song-writing and her guitar. They are even in a Battle of the Bands! She's had some problems with her hearing for a while, but one day her world changes completely when she awakens to a silent world. She can't hear a thing.

The book looks at not only how a young person deals with this, the hearing loss, and as an adolescent with their own school/romantic/friend issues, but also how other people react and help (or otherwise).

You can tell that the author has drawn on personal experience or researched well, the descriptions of what a quiet world is like, how crisps 'feel' in your mouth with a crunching sound, what words are missed from sentences spoken, how relationships are affected... it's very well done.

I loved the friends and family here, Sophie has a typical 'annoying big brother' who may just come through for her, she has wonderfully supportive parents who don't overdo the role as protective/uncaring/comic - they are regular parents doing their best for their daughter in her upsetting new situation. Sophie has a fab best friend too, who shows just what friends can be to each other.

And the music side of the story is great, Sophie channelling her fears and thoughts into song lyrics, and floundering at first with her love for music torn to shreds - can she recover this into a new form?

Fantastic for gaining understanding of hearing impairment, and a very well-composed account of teenage friendship, love of music and bravery in the face of adversity.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance reading copy.

[Millie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's one of the best books I've ever read.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

A really great topic to address in a middle-grade novel. There’s such a need to see more representation of children with physical disabilities in fiction, and particularly brilliant to have it written by an author with lived experience of hearing loss. Sophie, a very musical, lively girl who experiences profound hearing impairment at the age of 11, is an interesting central character.

Unfortunately I think this book was really let down by mundane writing and poor copy-editing. I suspect that this would have been less noticeable if there’d been a more complex plot, but having a straightforward linear story with no subplots, it really needed to be supported by a much more interesting use of language and a pacier style.

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting child centred novel raising questions about what it must be like to have hearing problems in school

[Mrs Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!! I wish this book was around when I was growing up. As a child that had hearing trouble, it would have been lovely to read how loss of hearing doesn’t have to stop you! Beautifully written and a book I can’t wait to pass on to my class!

[Emily Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a young girl who loses her hearing, how this affects her life and the changes she makes in order to continue.

There are some really heart-wrenching, emotional moments in the books that could have made me cry - although some of these moments are of sadness for the main character, Sophie, others are in appreciation of her incredible friends who help and support her through such a difficult time.
The characters are developed so well that you really get pulled into the story and feel everything with them. There are some fantastic themes about friendship underpinning the main story. I would love to read more books by this author.

[Denise Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie is struggling with her hearing which makes playing in her band rather tricky. However, when she loses her hearing overnight, she thinks she’ll also lose her ability to play and that is the worst thing of all.

This is a lovely story about learning to live with a disability and lengths that friends and family members go to to help her feel included.

I love Stew Foster’s books and I know a couple of children with hearing loss who will love this story.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma Bourne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book - perfect for young children who are deaf or to educate those who are hearing. I found it hard to read such a young narrative as an adult but i’m deaf myself so had to read no matter what! Lots of stuff is spot on for the experiences of someone with a hearing loss - it really is such a vast spectrum and is a stark reminder that its a sense we should treasure as even those who are hearing can lose it ever so quickly but its how we adapt from such situations that show strength of character!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

ADD MORE TO THE ENDING

[Kelly Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

One for the wellbeing section of the bookshelf.

[Sara Rothery · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sad start but ends well. So scary to lose your hearing and how do you cope when you're a child. But children are resilient and with friends are able to cope. A nice story which feels real.

[Fraeya Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another absolutely beautiful book recommend by daughter. Amazing insight to a child who suddenly loses her hearing and how she learns to feel music and how shes learns to love music all over again

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my Year 3 class and they loved it. Tied in with their sound topic in science brilliantly. A lovely story.

[Libraryliz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good!