Show Me a Sign

In 1805 Mary and her family live in a diverse community on Martha’s Vineyard, many of whom are deaf. When an outside scientist arrives to study the hereditary deafness, his disdain for and ill treatment of deaf people—herself included—offends Mary, reminds her of how settlers treat the Indigenous and African American people, and opens her eyes to prejudice. He kidnaps Mary to use her for research and mistreats her, but she escapes and works to better the lives of deaf people. This compelling historical novel is suitable for a read-aloud to encourage discussion of, and creative and critical thinking about, prejudice, racism, slavery, albeism, and cultural intolerance. Social considerations noted; sensitive material may resonate with some readers.