Narrator Elizabeth Robbins's remarkably youthful voice whisks listeners away to a summer of outdoor adventure and romance as Lilah, a teenager with hearing loss, becomes a junior counselor at a camp for Deaf and blind kids. Lilah is ecstatic to be immersed in Deaf culture even though she is self-conscious about her American Sign Language skills. When a character is using ASL, the sounds of hands moving to form the signs are heard underneath the narrator's voice. Additionally, Lilah's hearing loss is often expressed through muffled audio. Robbins creates distinct voices for the older counselors who help Lilah find her place in the Deaf community. This detailed and thoughtful production is a compelling sensory experience for young listeners. J.E.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Give Me a Sign
Narrated by Elizabeth Robbins
Anna SortinoUnabridged — 9 hours, 24 minutes
Give Me a Sign
Narrated by Elizabeth Robbins
Anna SortinoUnabridged — 9 hours, 24 minutes
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Overview
Lilah is stuck in the middle. At least, that's what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes-when you don't feel “deaf enough” to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to meet the world's expectations. But this summer, Lilah is ready for a change.
When Lilah becomes a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind, her plan is to brush up on her ASL. Once there, she also finds a community. There are cute British lifeguards who break hearts but not rules, a YouTuber who's just a bit desperate for clout, the campers Lilah's responsible for (and overwhelmed by)-and then there's Isaac, the dreamy Deaf counselor who volunteers to help Lilah with her signing.
Romance was never on the agenda, and Lilah's not positive Isaac likes her that way. But all signs seem to point to love. Unless she's reading them wrong? One thing's for sure: Lilah wanted change, and things here . . . they're certainly different than what she's used to.
Editorial Reviews
★ 06/05/2023
Sortino celebrates Deaf culture and identity in this endearingly funny slow-burn rom-com debut. White-cued 17-year-old Lilah—who’s hard of hearing and uses hearing aids—is tired of struggling to communicate with her hearing friends and parents, and being forced to live with her school’s lackluster accommodations. Determined to brush up on her American Sign Language skills and reconnect with the Deaf community, Lilah takes a job as a junior counselor at Gray Wolf Camp, a Midwestern summer program for Deaf and blind children, which she hasn’t been to since eighth grade. Once there, she meets Deaf, Latinx-cued Isaac, 18, whose playfulness and patience make Lilah’s heart flutter. As Lilah navigates her initial anxieties surrounding camp drama, her new crush, and her reintegration into a Deaf community, she learns to embrace her identity. But when she realizes the camp is in dire financial straits, she fears that her new haven will soon cease to exist. Through Lilah’s frank and sincere first-person POV, Sortino highlights a variety of Deaf experiences, exploring the community’s pride and culture, as well as the trauma some Deaf individuals face in interactions with strangers and loved ones alike. An author’s note contextualizes the use of ASL in the book’s dialogue. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kari Sutherland, KT Literary. (July)
Praise for Give Me a Sign
An Indie Next Pick
An Indies Introduce Summer/Fall 2023 Selection
A Junior Library Guild Selection
An Amazon Best Book of the Month
A NYPL Best Book of the Year
"Give Me a Sign is a charming story about fitting in, finding your community, and falling in love at summer camp. This heartwarming debut is a beautifully nuanced representation of Deaf culture and what it means to find your voice in a society that doesn’t want to listen. —Aiden Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys
"A book that proves love is a universal language and acceptance often comes from the inside out. This story is both fun and thought-provoking, both light and heartfelt. It is definitely a new favorite.” —Kasie West, author of Sunkissed and The Fill-In Boyfriend
★ "Sortino celebrates Deaf culture and identity in this endearingly funny slow-burn rom-com debut . . . . Sortino highlights a variety of Deaf experiences, exploring the community’s pride and culture, as well as the trauma some Deaf individuals face in interactions with strangers and loved ones alike." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A heartwarming and tender coming-of-age story that brilliantly explores what it means to fully lean in to who you are. Full of romance, friendships and nostalgia, this book will make you want to relive your best high school summers." —Claire Ahn, author of I Guess I Live Here Now
"Sweet and swoony. Anna Sortino gives us the perfect summer romance while deftly tackling the nuanced culture of the diverse Deaf community. Give Me a Sign is a profoundly charming story that has something for everyone—summer camp vibes, heartfelt connections, and characters you instantly root for.” —Grace K. Shim, author of The Noh Family
"A thoughtful exploration of Deaf culture, how we communicate and connect, and what it means to belong, all wrapped up in a swoon-worthy summer camp romance." —Kaitlyn Hill, author of Love from Scratch
"One of the most exciting and fun books I’ve read this summer. . . . Whether you’re deaf or not, the book makes sure to focus on issues teens are dealing with such as romance, drama between friends, and trying to find your place." —Culturess
"A sweet and thoughtful romp, Anna Sortino’s debut novel navigates the intricacies of Deaf culture and how one girl finds her place in it. . . . Give Me a Sign is not only a point of representation for folks looking for themselves in a fun read but also a reminder that just because someone can’t hear or speak doesn’t mean they don’t have a voice." —BookPage
"Readers will love this sincere Deaf coming-of-age story." —Kirkus Reviews
"Written from Lilah’s point of view, the first-person narrative is involving, particularly for romance fans. An intriguing aspect of the book is Sortino’s sensitive portrayal of characters who are deaf in varying degrees and who manage communication in different ways. . . . A promising first novel for Sortino." —Booklist
"This debut will please readers looking for a sweet love story while also providing a nuanced and thoughtful exploration of some of the issues those in the Deaf community face." —School Library Journal
07/01/2023
Gr 7 Up—Although Lilah is excited about her job as a junior counselor at Gray Wolf, a summer camp for the Deaf and Blind, she is a little nervous. She attended the camp when she was younger and loved it, but she's worried about how rusty her ASL is because she doesn't use it with her hearing parents or her hearing school friends. With her hearing aids, Lilah can somewhat pass in the hearing world, hence she doesn't feel "deaf enough" at times. Happily, she meets Isaac, a fellow counselor who patiently helps her relearn ASL, in addition to providing her with the summer romance she has been longing for. Camp Gray Wolf is just as special as Lilah remembers; it is an inclusive community whose campers and counselors include Deaf, hard of hearing, Blind, and low vision individuals as well as two counselors without a disability. Of the dozen or so staff, two are Black, one is Latinx, and Lilah and Isaac are white. It's a summer of learning for Lilah—learning ASL, to take responsibility and care for others, as well as how to embrace her Deaf identity and advocate for herself. Mixed in with the summer romance and the minutiae of the camp world, Sortino addresses some more thorny issues, such as when hearing parents with Deaf children reject ASL, why (or why not) one would choose cochlear implant surgery, and the everyday challenges people in the Deaf community encounter when interacting with hearing people. VERDICT This debut will please readers looking for a sweet love story while also providing a nuanced and thoughtful exploration of some of the issues those in the Deaf community face.—Ragan O'Malley
Narrator Elizabeth Robbins's remarkably youthful voice whisks listeners away to a summer of outdoor adventure and romance as Lilah, a teenager with hearing loss, becomes a junior counselor at a camp for Deaf and blind kids. Lilah is ecstatic to be immersed in Deaf culture even though she is self-conscious about her American Sign Language skills. When a character is using ASL, the sounds of hands moving to form the signs are heard underneath the narrator's voice. Additionally, Lilah's hearing loss is often expressed through muffled audio. Robbins creates distinct voices for the older counselors who help Lilah find her place in the Deaf community. This detailed and thoughtful production is a compelling sensory experience for young listeners. J.E.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
2023-04-24
A Deaf teen from the Chicago suburbs explores her identity at summer camp.
Seventeen-year-old Lilah was born severely deaf. Though she’s able to get by with hearing aids, FM units at school, and lip reading, she feels disconnected from the hearing world around her. Camp Gray Wolf, designed for deaf and blind kids, was the only place where she could use ASL and accept her deafness. But the rising high school senior hasn’t been there since eighth grade. Feeling pulled back to the community, she applies for a counselor position. But camp isn’t perfect either—her signing isn’t fluent, and she feels like she doesn’t totally fit in with the Deaf world. Readers will relate to and root for Lilah as she starts a summer romance with Isaac, a Deaf fellow junior counselor, and confronts her feelings about her own deafness. The author captures a common feeling for people who fall into the hard of hearing category: feeling like they are not hearing enough and yet not deaf enough. She also explores other Deaf experiences such as meeting condescending saviors and navigating scary interactions with the police. Secondary characters, including a Deaf family in which one member gets a cochlear implant and a child whose father belittles and all but forbids ASL, expose readers to experiences of deafness other than Lilah’s. Lilah reads White; there is some racial diversity among the supporting characters.
Readers will love this sincere Deaf coming-of-age story. (note on the text, author’s note) (Fiction. 12-18)
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940176514186 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Penguin Random House |
| Publication date: | 07/11/2023 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
Read an Excerpt
A guy about my age is standing there in a blue baseball cap and a Cubs T-shirt that fits him perfectly. He looks like he belongs in the team’s dugout, although his hat has a cursive L on the front that I don’t recognize. A small tuft of hair curls at his forehead. He has a warm-brown complexion and kind, dark eyes that are set on me. He’s standing with his hands loosely clasped together, ready to sign, with a woven bracelet around his wrist, perhaps from last summer.
My heart is racing, and I’m not sure if it’s from lifting the bag or from realizing who helped me.
“Thank you,” I say breathlessly.
“You’re welcome,” he signs. He points past me and signs something else.
I freeze. I want to answer him in sign, but I’m unsure exactly what he’s asking. He gives a small shrug, likely knowing that I didn’t understand, and walks around me to grab his backpack from his bunk . . . which is directly below mine. Of all the beds I could have chosen! At least he won’t be able to hear me if I snore in my sleep.
“Are you new this year?” he asks, this time mouthing the words a little bit, which I know is purely for my benefit.
“Um, no,” I say, begging my brain to remember any of the ASL I practiced. “Long time ago, I was here,” I say and sign. “As a camper.”
“Wait . . . ” He tilts his head to the side. His wonderfully expressive eyebrows do a lot of communicating for him as he raises them and leans forward. “I think I remember you. Bug, right?”
“Whoa,” I say and sign. “Yes! You were a camper here, too?” I am certain I would remember him.
“Yeah, and then ————,” he signs. I don’t follow most of his response, but he raises his hand from his chest to his head, signing that he’s grown taller. “I look different, maybe.”
“Oh right, good,” I say and sign, nodding while my brain races to try to process more of what he signed.
“Good?” he asks, his eyebrows raised and a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Good, as in, I think I remember you now, too,” I say and sign quickly, cursing my limited vocabulary and feeling the blush rise on my cheeks. I stare down at his worn running sneakers that are caked in dry mud and laced with bright-green cords.
“I’m I————,” he signs.
“Sorry,” I say, hoping that my frustration at my lacking ASL doesn’t come across as overly apologetic. “Again, please.”
He smiles and patiently spells out his name again. “I-s-a-a-c.”
“L-i-l-” But my hand is shaking, and I mess up, jumbling my letters. I close my hand into a fist, take a brief pause, and start again. “L-i-l-a-h.”
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