,

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 — 5,921 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.30 avg rating — 318,598 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
3.93 avg rating — 13,729 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
4.28 avg rating — 16,071 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
3.86 avg rating — 68,748 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.29 avg rating — 88,541 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.04 avg rating — 1,463 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

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

by
4.05 avg rating — 630,954 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
3.82 avg rating — 3,650 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
3.95 avg rating — 49,862 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
4.11 avg rating — 792,642 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.15 avg rating — 10,793 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.17 avg rating — 670,906 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
3.76 avg rating — 60,216 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 — 33,989 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
4.29 avg rating — 71,042 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
3.97 avg rating — 11,325 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
3.79 avg rating — 6,820 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 — 5,662 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
4.30 avg rating — 3,022 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.42 avg rating — 42,971 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 — 24,462 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 — 7,678 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 — 604 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 — 3,105 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 — 1,594 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.77 avg rating — 21,685 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.10 avg rating — 44,800 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 — 207,444 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 — 128,970 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.20 avg rating — 1,710 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 — 12,159 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
4.50 avg rating — 169 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.12 avg rating — 1,182 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 — 209,851 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.64 avg rating — 1,526 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
4.09 avg rating — 45,080 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.90 avg rating — 4,068 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 — 362 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 — 44,830 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 — 53,367 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 — 146,533 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.05 avg rating — 17,643 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 4651 books
355 friends
Laura 2842 books
75 friends
Sophie 199504 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.