Silent Star

Review
By Redeafined

“Wise strikes an effective balance between casting Hoy as a regular boy who dreams of playing baseball and an inspirational figure who overcomes his deafness in the face of society’s doubts and misunderstandings about what deafness means for his ability to play professional sports. Information about Deaf culture and etiquette, including the visual applause by fans in the opening scene, and a tactful explanation of Hoy’s “Dummy” nickname and the use of terminology “deaf and dumb,” are peppered throughout, making this book a perfect introduction for children previously unexposed to Deaf culture. And for sign language buffs, check out the inside covers for illustrations of baseball hand signals, the use of which Hoy and other deaf players are often credited with initiating. Silent Star is particularly a must-have in any deaf or hearing support classroom; Hoy’s dedication and indisputably impressive career as a professional sportsman makes him an important role model for deaf and hard-of-hearing children with all kinds of dreams and interests. And, as the reading levels of deaf children often come under fire, its ever important that deaf children have access to books that they find interesting and relatable. But the message to chase one’s dreams is not one that should be limited to the deaf education– teachers of all elementary school students should consider Silent Star as an addition to the classroom library, and a lesson in both diversity and determination.”

Read the full review here .