deaf child crossing

Last week, I read the book deaf child crossing, by Marlee Matlin. The book is intended for children ages 8-12, so it's a quick, easy read. The book, although fictional, draws from the childhood experiences of Marlee Matlin - her dog Apples, her neighborhood friends, and her love of Billy Joel music, to which she would sign the words while listening to the beat.

Here's a description from the inside of the book jacket:

Cindy looked straight at Megan. Now she looked a little frustrated. "What's the matter? Are you deaf or something?" she yelled back. Megan screamed out, and then fell to the ground, laughing hysterically. "How did you know that?" she asked as she laughed. Megan is excited when Cindy moves into her neighborhood -- maybe she'll finally have a best friend. Sure enough, the two girls quickly become inseparable. Cindy even starts to learn sign language so they can communicate more easily. But when they go away to summer camp together, problems arise. Cindy feels left out because Megan is spending all of her time with Lizzie, another deaf girl; Megan resents that Cindy is always trying to help her, even when she doesn't need help. Before they can mend their differences, both girls have to learn what it means to be a friend. Deaf Child Crossing will strike a chord with anyone who has ever had, or wanted, a best friend.

Definitely worth the quick read, if you like that kind of thing. I think it would be really great for a child with a Deaf friend. Of course, deaf education has changed since Matlin was a child, especially with the invention of the cochlear implant. The book is not quite as relevant for deaf children who don't sign and have good hearing and speech with their CIs. But, I would say that maybe it would be good for them too, to see what it could/would be like without the access to sound that the CI affords them. I will definitely encourage Lucas to read the book (in 10 years, HAHA!).