Language: PG-13 (19 swears, 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (underage drinking, teenage kiss, innuendo; Violence: PG (police encounter where a character is injured and arrested)
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SOME
17yo Lilah, a soon-to-be high school senior, is struggling with her identity as a Deaf person who has been raised in a hearing world. She struggles to follow conversations with her hearing friends, but she also doesn’t feel “Deaf enough.” The only time when she really fit in was at Camp Gray Wolf, a summer camp for the deaf and blind. She gets the opportunity to return the camp as a junior counselor. Camp Gray Wolf is staffed by a diverse group, including Isaac (who helped her learn ASL years ago) and Mackenzie (who is hearing and studying to be an interpreter). It’s not quite as easy to fit in now as it was as a camper, but Lilah does her best--with a little help from Isaac. On top of this, Camp Gray Wolf is out of money and might be shut down after this summer. Over the course of the camp, Lilah gains acceptance, falls in love, makes friends, learns responsibility, and gains empathy for the other campers and counselors.
I liked the representation of Deaf culture and that it was written by a Deaf author, the cute romance, the length of the book, and that it is kind of a Hi-Lo book at 720 Lexile. I didn't like that there were big consequences for breaking curfew ,but no one cared that the counselors went out drinking, including several who were underage. The swears also seemed unnecessary - thrown in to up the maturity. The main character is presumed white, but her love interest is part Dominican and speaks Spanish along with English and ASL. The head counselor is also hispanic. There are side characters with other races, disabilities, and sexual orientations.
Lindsay Blowers, Teacher
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