Today I'm sharing the best book I read in July.
It was a bit of a disappointing reading month. Of the 11 books I read this month, none were 5-star reads, or even 4.5-star reads. I had four 4-star reads:
Tyrell by Coe Booth
El Deafo by Cece Bell
There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America by Alex Kotlowitz
When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park
Each of these books had aspects I liked and didn't like, which makes it hard to choose between them. I would recommend each of them to different audiences. Ultimately, if I were going to reread any of these myself, it would be...
I read El Deafo in one sitting at the library — not too difficult, since it's a graphic memoir aimed at kids. The book tells the story of Bell's experience becoming hard of hearing after contacting meningitis at age four. Through her memories, you get some best practices for interacting with people who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing (don't yell, don't speak really slowly, don't assume they know sign language) and you also see her dealing with the relatable stresses of growing up, navigating school, friendships, and crushes. I appreciated her author's note at the end about the different experiences people can have with deafness and why she doesn't personally consider herself Deaf; I kind of wish the note had been at the beginning, particularly with how anti-sign language she was as a kid. I'm glad this book has been widely recommended, and I think it's worth the read. Just don't let it be the only first-person experience of deafness you ever read.
What is the best book you read this month? Let me know in comments, or write your own post and link up below!
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading: The Yiddish Policemen's Union and The Professor & the Madman
Five years ago I was reading: Half of a Yellow Sun, Someone Knows My Name, and A Suitable Boy
Ten years ago I was reading: Inkdeath
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