“The Silence Between Us is eminently un-put-down-able.” (NPR)
Schneider Family Book Award, Best Teen Honor Book 2020
“This is a great YA contemporary (clean) romance that follows Maya as she navigates a new school and plans for her future. The addition of representation by a Deaf character was really beautifully done. Highly recommend for people looking for a sweet, engaging, and educational romantic read.” (YA and Kids Book Central)
#OwnVoices YA novel features Deaf / Hard of Hearing Community
“It’s time we see more Deaf characters in books. It’s time we see more books celebrating sign language and Deaf culture,” said author Alison Gervais.
Deaf teen Maya moves across the country and must attend a hearing school for the first time. As if that wasn’t hard enough, she also has to adjust to the hearing culture, which she finds frustrating—and also surprising when some classmates, including Beau Watson, take time to learn ASL. As Maya looks past graduation and focuses on her future dreams, nothing, not even an unexpected romance, will not derail her pursuits. But when people in her life—Deaf and hearing alike—ask her to question parts of her Deaf identity, Maya stands proudly, never giving in to the idea that her Deafness is a disadvantage.
The Silence Between Us:
Alison Gervais is the author of In 27 Days and The Silence Between Us, for which she received the 2020 Schneider Family Honor Book Award. Alison works at a nonprofit organization that provides services to people with disabilities and writes as often as she can. Currently she lives in Colorado with her husband and their two daughters.