The Loudest Silence

May 15, 2024
Casey Kowalski, new to Miami from Portland, Oregon, became Deaf-Hard of Hearing several months ago. Casey, who's white, is adjusting to life between the Hearing and Deaf worlds. She's determined to make it through junior year without forming any connections as she grieves her identity as a singer and the loss of the friends and boyfriend who dumped her when she lost her hearing. Cuban and Italian American Hayden Gonz�lez-Rossi is expected to follow in the footsteps of his legendary f�tbol family, but he dreams of performing on Broadway. The teens' shared musical passion grows stronger when Casey joins Hayden's friend group and he becomes her ASL student, creative partner, and closest confidant. The unlikely pair give each other strength to become fully themselves. Langford highlights the social and accessibility issues Casey faces, including auditory fatigue and ableism, alongside Hayden's realization that he's struggled for years with generalized anxiety disorder. Unfortunately, many lessons, while vital, are conveyed didactically rather than shown through emotional beats. ASL and simultaneous communication are both described and translated, an effective approach that draws readers into Casey's experience of language. Her embrace of Deaf identity and culture is a welcome and important touchstone of her journey. The friendship between acerbic, tough, bisexual Casey and soft-hearted, earnest Hayden, who's asexual and aromantic, is sweetly and unconditionally loving as well as refreshing, given the relative scarcity of portrayals of boy-girl friendships. A wholesome ode to devoted friendship. (content warning, ASL alphabet, content note, author's note, resources) (Fiction. 13-18)

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August 1, 2024

Gr 7-10-Langford's debut explores universal themes of grief, belonging, and anxiety. The story focuses on two high school juniors. Casey is a bisexual singer who has had a sudden loss of hearing. Hayden is a Cuban-Italian American aro-ace soccer captain trying to live up to his family's legacy while coping with anxiety and hiding his passion for theater. The author's own experience of hearing loss is incorporated into Casey's character, and the text seamlessly includes ASL (American Sign Language) and SimCom (simultaneous communication, or speaking and signing at the same time). The plot brings experiences of D/deaf folks into more mainstream conversation and includes resources for readers. There is queer representation in the friend group, and the plot is mostly focused on friendship and community, not coming out. Also, there is a positive depiction of how to support someone experiencing anxiety as well as a positive depiction of parent support around seeking therapy. VERDICT An important addition to YA collections, to be enjoyed by any readers who like coming-of-age books and especially those who are looking for relatable stories about queer, aro-ace, or disabled teens.-Taylor Skorski

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