,

Fiction and non-fiction which have characters suffering from selective mutism (also called "elective mutism"). This is when a person can speak but, for psychological reasons, does not. Often they speak in some settings (like home) but not others (like school).
1

by
3.83 avg rating — 5,923 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.30 avg rating — 318,868 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
3.93 avg rating — 13,733 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
4.28 avg rating — 16,077 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
3.86 avg rating — 68,757 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.29 avg rating — 88,552 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.04 avg rating — 1,464 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.12 avg rating — 1,981 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
4.05 avg rating — 631,097 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
3.82 avg rating — 3,651 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
3.95 avg rating — 49,875 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
4.11 avg rating — 792,872 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.15 avg rating — 10,798 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.17 avg rating — 671,593 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
3.76 avg rating — 60,213 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
16

by
3.72 avg rating — 214 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
17

by
3.97 avg rating — 33,994 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
4.29 avg rating — 71,059 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
3.97 avg rating — 11,323 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
3.79 avg rating — 6,819 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
4.03 avg rating — 428 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
4.15 avg rating — 5,665 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
4.30 avg rating — 3,023 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.42 avg rating — 43,006 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.11 avg rating — 19 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.31 avg rating — 16 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.08 avg rating — 24,465 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.10 avg rating — 126 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
3.95 avg rating — 7,679 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
4.12 avg rating — 82 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
3.97 avg rating — 8,377 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
3.73 avg rating — 605 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
4.14 avg rating — 510 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
3.61 avg rating — 3,108 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
3.86 avg rating — 63 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
3.54 avg rating — 2,604 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
3.97 avg rating — 2,927 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.82 avg rating — 1,535 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.78 avg rating — 9 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.71 avg rating — 1,141 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.82 avg rating — 94 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.63 avg rating — 522 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.12 avg rating — 123 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.91 avg rating — 1,593 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.77 avg rating — 21,690 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.10 avg rating — 44,817 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
2.64 avg rating — 14 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.25 avg rating — 481 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.62 avg rating — 470 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.29 avg rating — 340 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.97 avg rating — 207,632 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.75 avg rating — 2,839 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.14 avg rating — 129,012 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.19 avg rating — 1,709 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.20 avg rating — 44 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.07 avg rating — 12,161 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
3.59 avg rating — 1,460 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
3.52 avg rating — 172 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.49 avg rating — 170 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.12 avg rating — 1,181 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.93 avg rating — 333 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.75 avg rating — 6,824 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
4.28 avg rating — 92 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
4.29 avg rating — 209,921 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.64 avg rating — 1,525 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
4.09 avg rating — 45,133 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.90 avg rating — 4,070 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.69 avg rating — 59 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.82 avg rating — 213 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
4.05 avg rating — 3,510 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.87 avg rating — 363 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.94 avg rating — 1,110 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.61 avg rating — 44,996 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.57 avg rating — 56 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
4.02 avg rating — 868 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
3.85 avg rating — 53,380 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
3.57 avg rating — 44 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
3.69 avg rating — 229 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
3.29 avg rating — 7 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
3.70 avg rating — 146,628 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.05 avg rating — 17,644 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
3.93 avg rating — 182 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
3.77 avg rating — 282 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
3.84 avg rating — 5,876 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 29 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
3.63 avg rating — 62 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
4.05 avg rating — 19 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
3.93 avg rating — 1,020 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
4.40 avg rating — 5 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
4.29 avg rating — 182 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
4.28 avg rating — 92 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
3.79 avg rating — 135 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
4.15 avg rating — 13 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
3.65 avg rating — 48 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 6 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
3.78 avg rating — 116 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
3.87 avg rating — 219 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
4.12 avg rating — 17 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
111 books · 74 voters · list created July 19th, 2010 by Meaghan (votes) .
37 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Meaghan 4653 books
355 friends
Laura 2842 books
75 friends
Sophie 199641 books
131 friends
Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) 546 books
365 friends
Sarah 2296 books
49 friends
Tay 0 books
0 friends
Jessica 449 books
72 friends
Catherine 1803 books
292 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-7 of 7 (7 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Meaghan (new)

Meaghan Do NOT add "Speak" to this list. The protagonist in the story did NOT suffer from selective mutism. Although she was deeply traumatized and didn't talk much, she spoke when spoken to.


message 2: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Feb 09, 2015 02:01AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) I noticed both The Poisonwood Bible and The House of the Spirits on this list, and even though I can't remember the selective mutism in either exactly (vaguely rang a bell but it's a long time ago since I've read the books), I've voted for those two books.


message 3: by Meaghan (new)

Meaghan Never read either of those, so I can't say myself.


message 4: by Marie (new)

Marie I am looking for a book I recently spotted. I can't remember the name. IRC the blurb said it was about a girl who hadn't spoken for a few years following a tragedy. The male MC was an athlete of some sort who was also dealing with something regarding his father. They were at some kind of party and he told her all his thoughts and then she spoke (I think)?


message 5: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Apr 12, 2015 03:40AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) Booklovinglady wrote: "I noticed both The Poisonwood Bible and The House of the Spirits on this list, and even though I can't remember the selective mutism in either exactly (vaguely rang a bell..."

I remember who wasn't speaking in The Poisonwood Bible: One of the daughters.
And I remembered another book as well, Scented Gardens For The Blind...


message 6: by Debbie (new)

Debbie There's a new book out, to add to this list - The Thing about Jellyfish, by Ali Benjamin.


Ferdinand Balcita This list reinforces the myth that Selective Mutism is caused by trauma. There are actually very few in this list that correctly portray SM. Check this blog post for a more accurate list.


back to top



Related News

  One of the great pleasures of an adventurous reading life is discovering new authors. If you’re the kind of book lover who likes to head...

Anyone can add books to this list.