(Grades 5-adult) -- The 2008 Schneider award winner "Hurt Go Happy" by Ginny Rorby (The Schneider Awards go to kid's books with a disabled protagonist) will win your heart. Joey is a girl who is now deaf; her mother desparately wants her to "act normal" and learn to lip read, but Joey is fascinated by the ease of communication of American Sign Language. By chance, Joey makes friends with a professor who has a chimpanzee who is learning sign language. As the plot deepens, you feel what it is like to lose your hearing, and what accomodations you can and cannot make. Joey becomes responsible for her chimpanzee friend, and must make a desperate journey to save the chimp from an animal testing facility. Strong story line, engaging characters, and an ethical dilemma will engage your interest. Robin recommends this book especially for those who want to understand how it feels to be deaf in a hearing world.
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