,

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 — 5,934 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.30 avg rating — 321,769 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
3.93 avg rating — 13,756 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
4.28 avg rating — 16,138 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
3.86 avg rating — 68,892 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.29 avg rating — 88,617 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.04 avg rating — 1,466 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.12 avg rating — 1,990 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
4.05 avg rating — 632,813 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
3.82 avg rating — 3,655 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
3.95 avg rating — 50,033 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
4.11 avg rating — 795,365 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.15 avg rating — 10,824 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.16 avg rating — 678,903 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
3.76 avg rating — 60,279 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 — 34,075 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
4.29 avg rating — 71,299 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 — 6,824 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
4.03 avg rating — 427 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
4.15 avg rating — 5,682 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
4.30 avg rating — 3,027 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.42 avg rating — 43,472 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.05 avg rating — 20 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.35 avg rating — 17 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.08 avg rating — 24,504 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.09 avg rating — 125 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 — 8,384 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
3.73 avg rating — 608 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
4.14 avg rating — 509 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
3.61 avg rating — 3,123 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
3.84 avg rating — 64 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
3.54 avg rating — 2,606 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
3.97 avg rating — 2,930 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.82 avg rating — 1,538 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
4.13 avg rating — 126 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.91 avg rating — 1,596 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.77 avg rating — 21,721 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.10 avg rating — 45,099 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 — 482 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.62 avg rating — 473 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 — 210,825 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.75 avg rating — 2,843 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.15 avg rating — 129,468 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.20 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 — 12,175 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
3.59 avg rating — 1,468 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 — 172 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.12 avg rating — 1,185 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.93 avg rating — 338 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.75 avg rating — 6,853 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
4.28 avg rating — 93 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
4.29 avg rating — 210,582 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 — 45,559 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.90 avg rating — 4,085 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 — 3,525 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.87 avg rating — 365 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.94 avg rating — 1,109 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 — 47,002 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 — 53,474 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
3.38 avg rating — 8 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 — 147,918 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.05 avg rating — 17,679 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 — 5,870 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 — 1,029 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 — 184 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
4.28 avg rating — 93 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
3.63 avg rating — 49 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

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

by
3.79 avg rating — 117 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 4668 books
355 friends
Laura 2842 books
75 friends
Sophie 200051 books
130 friends
Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) 546 books
365 friends
Sarah 2319 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

Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day, according to early...

Anyone can add books to this list.