What do you think?
Rate this book
Speechless
Inside, Harriet is just as witty and feisty and chatty as any other 11-year-old. She has a quirky sense of humour and a vibrant and playful imagination. But how would anyone ever know?
She has Cerebral Palsy. She can’t walk - she uses a wheelchair.
And her treacherous voice makes her sound as if she also has learning difficulties. So she chooses to be SPEECHLESS.
Making friends at her new Secondary School seems impossible. Embarrassed at not knowing how to communicate with Harriet, her classmates either ignore her or laugh at her. She is the butt of constant jokes.
Charlotte, one of the most popular girls in class, is the first to really try to talk to Harriet. Is this a burgeoning friendship or the beginning of yet another spell of bullying?
When Harriet's mother is rushed into hospital, there is no one left who understands…
Harriet has many obstacles to overcome – and only some of them are physical. Is she up to the challenge?
SPEECHLESS is an emotional rollercoaster. It will make you laugh and cry, cringe and rejoice. It is a story of friendship and bravery, of facing each new day with hope and courage and never, ever assuming you know about someone by how they look on the outside.
A brutally frank but heartwarming story that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
She has Cerebral Palsy. She can’t walk - she uses a wheelchair.
And her treacherous voice makes her sound as if she also has learning difficulties. So she chooses to be SPEECHLESS.
Making friends at her new Secondary School seems impossible. Embarrassed at not knowing how to communicate with Harriet, her classmates either ignore her or laugh at her. She is the butt of constant jokes.
Charlotte, one of the most popular girls in class, is the first to really try to talk to Harriet. Is this a burgeoning friendship or the beginning of yet another spell of bullying?
When Harriet's mother is rushed into hospital, there is no one left who understands…
Harriet has many obstacles to overcome – and only some of them are physical. Is she up to the challenge?
SPEECHLESS is an emotional rollercoaster. It will make you laugh and cry, cringe and rejoice. It is a story of friendship and bravery, of facing each new day with hope and courage and never, ever assuming you know about someone by how they look on the outside.
A brutally frank but heartwarming story that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
220 pages, Paperback
Published September 26, 2018
About the author
Kate Darbishire
2 books19 followersThe oldest of seven children, Kate spent most of her childhood with her head in a book. She lived in a world of imagination and often made up stories to entertain her younger siblings.
When her own children came along, she loved snuggling up at bedtime to read them stories. It gave Kate an excuse to keep reading children’s books.
At thirty-three, with her four children either at school or nursery, Kate went to Bath Spa University to study Creative Writing and Education. She thought she’d be a teacher and continue writing as a hobby. It soon became obvious that writing wasn’t just a hobby for her: it was a passion - she would be a children’s author! But there was a problem. One of her daughters, who has Cerebral Palsy, couldn’t walk at four years old and had no speech. She had used sign language from nine months but made almost no noise at all. Kate took her on an amazing speech and language course and finally realised how to help her speak. It was a slow process, but now that little girl is twenty. She can walk and she never stops talking.
While her children were growing up, Kate worked as a Teaching Assistant in Special Needs Schools, helping lots of other youngsters with various needs. It is a job she loved but ever nagging at the back of her mind was that dream of becoming a children’s author. And one particular book was demanding to get out: Speechless!
Check out my website for resources for schools or to find out how to contact me!
http://katedarbishire.com
When her own children came along, she loved snuggling up at bedtime to read them stories. It gave Kate an excuse to keep reading children’s books.
At thirty-three, with her four children either at school or nursery, Kate went to Bath Spa University to study Creative Writing and Education. She thought she’d be a teacher and continue writing as a hobby. It soon became obvious that writing wasn’t just a hobby for her: it was a passion - she would be a children’s author! But there was a problem. One of her daughters, who has Cerebral Palsy, couldn’t walk at four years old and had no speech. She had used sign language from nine months but made almost no noise at all. Kate took her on an amazing speech and language course and finally realised how to help her speak. It was a slow process, but now that little girl is twenty. She can walk and she never stops talking.
While her children were growing up, Kate worked as a Teaching Assistant in Special Needs Schools, helping lots of other youngsters with various needs. It is a job she loved but ever nagging at the back of her mind was that dream of becoming a children’s author. And one particular book was demanding to get out: Speechless!
Check out my website for resources for schools or to find out how to contact me!
http://katedarbishire.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!