Strong deaf

Strong deaf by Lynn McElfresh

Fourteen-year-old Marla has just returned home from her residential school for the deaf, and her younger sister, 12-year-old Jade, is already acting immature. Jade, who's been anxiously awaiting softball season, is crushed when she's forced to be a benchwarmer on Marla's team in case Marla needs an interpreter. Told from the perspectives of both Jade, in standard prose, and Marla, in translated American Sign Language, which uses many language shortcuts ( Weekend fun. Play many game ), this realistic story explores the dynamics of a family with both hearing and deaf members. McElfresh also tackles controversial issues in the deaf community: Jade, the only hearing member of the family, wonders how Marla's life would have been different with a cochlear implant, and their parents attend a Gallaudet University protest, which is based on an actual event. Just when the sisters' sibling rivalry comes to a head, their responses to an accident help them see each other's strengths. An enlightening book, no matter one's abilities.--Leeper, Angela Copyright 2010 Booklist