Renowned author and feminist Roxane Gay once said, “Books are often more than just books,” and at Inclusive Communication Services, we wholeheartedly agree! Recognizing the significance of representation, we compiled a list of cherished books featuring Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard-of-Hearing characters.
Encountering characters who share your experiences not only anchors your sense of belonging but also nurtures an atmosphere of inclusivity. The presence of diverse representation in literature is vital, as it enables us to gain insights into different life perspectives. Here are ten exceptional books written by Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard-of-Hearing authors that deserve a spot on your reading list.
2025 Update: We’re excited to keep expanding this blog with new titles. Thank you to our inclusive community for all your thoughtful messages and suggestions! Have a book you’d like to see added? Drop it in the comments!
Fiction/YA Books by Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard-of-Hearing Authors
True Biz by Sara Novic
True biz (adj./exclamation; American Sign Language): really, seriously, definitely, real-talk. The students at the River Valley School for the Deaf just want to hook up, pass their history finals, and have politicians, doctors, and their parents stop telling them what to do with their bodies. This revelatory novel plunges readers into the halls of a residential school for the Deaf exploring the Deaf experience and the broader human quest for identity and purpose.
Give Me A Sign by Anna Sortino
Lilah, straddling between two worlds due to her hearing loss, finds herself seeking change. This summer, she takes on a role as a counselor at a camp for the Deaf and Blind. As she navigates this new environment, Lilah encounters Isaac, a Deaf counselor who offers to help her with signing. Romance wasn’t in her plans, but signs seem to hint at a deeper connection. Anna Sortino’s touching debut unveils a poignant coming-of-age story, diving into Lilah’s journey of self-discovery while exploring the beauty and complexity of Deaf Culture.
The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew
Delaney Meyers-Petrov is done with being underestimated due to her Deafness. Her excitement surges when she gains admission to Godbole University’s exclusive program, aimed at mastering travel between parallel worlds. Despite her determination, the journey kicks off with challenges: unsupportive professors and an aloof upperclassman, Colton Price, intrigued by her unique abilities. Reluctantly, Delaney and Colton team up to unveil deep-seated university secrets.
The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais
Maya’s senior year takes an unexpected turn as she relocates to Colorado, leaving Pratt School for the Deaf for a mainstream hearing school. At Engelmann High, Maya encounters Beau Watson, the student-body president. While Beau’s ASL efforts intrigue her, Maya wonders if his motives are genuine or hidden. Maya’s pride in being Deaf clashes with Beau’s difficulty understanding her choice to remain without a cochlear implant. Their evolving bond forces Maya to ponder if bridging the gap between Deaf and hearing worlds.
Show me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte
Mary Lambert finds solace and belonging on Martha’s Vineyard, a haven where Deaf culture thrives, rooted in her lineage tracing back to the island’s first Deaf settler. This idyllic existence is disrupted by the arrival of a scientist fixated on unraveling the island’s Deafness mystery. Mary becomes ensnared in the scientist’s experiment, threatened by his relentless pursuit of answers. The story revolves around her fight for survival, against both the external threat and the shifting landscape that threatens her community’s way of life.
Matzah Ball Surprise by Laura Brown
When Gaby Fineberg scrambles to find a date for her family’s Passover Seder, she turns to Levi Miller, a Deaf and happily single gym crush who ends up rescuing her with a plan of his own. What starts as a simple fake-dating arrangement quickly spirals into a weekend of hilarious missteps, family meddling, and unexpected sparks. Author Laura Brown has several other titles featuring Deaf and hard-of-hearing characters including, About That Night, Wrong Number, and Signs of Attraction.
Nonfiction/Memoir Books by Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard-of-Hearing Authors
Deaf Utopia by Nyle DiMarco
Nyle DiMarco, renowned actor, producer, and advocate of the global Deaf community, presents an inspiring memoir that serves as a cultural anthem for Deaf identity. Born as one of Deaf twins into a deeply rooted Deaf family in Queens, Nyle’s remarkable story unfolds in this compelling narrative. This memoir explores his upbringing in a loving Italian-American family, his academic career at Gallaudet University as a math major and athlete, and his journey into acting on reality TV shows such as America’s Next Top Model and Dancing with the Stars.
I’ll Scream Later by Marlee Matlin
The acclaimed and award-winning actress, unveils an extraordinary journey of breaking barriers and defying expectations, becoming an iconic presence in the entertainment world. Matlin’s story begins with her groundbreaking role in “Children of a Lesser God,” a performance that earned her an Oscar at a young age. Her life story unfolds, revealing her roles as a mother, activist, and inspiration to the global Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community. From her early struggle with hearing loss to her Hollywood highs and battles with addiction, she shares candidly about her experiences.
Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma
Born with Deaf-blindness, Girma grew up with enough vision to know when someone was in front of her and enough hearing to know when someone close to her was talking. However, she had difficulty reading facial features or distinguishing people in group conversations. Relying on her own problem-solving skills, Girma overcame roadblocks while simultaneously obtaining her undergraduate and then law degree. As a lawyer and advocate, Girma shares a collection of vignettes illustrating the defining points in her life.
Being Seen: One Deafblind Woman’s Fight to End Ableism by Elsa Sjunneson
As a Deafblind woman with partial vision in one eye and bilateral hearing aids, Elsa Sjunneson lives at the crossroads of blindness and sight, hearing and Deafness, much to the confusion of the world around her. Part memoir, part cultural criticism, part history of the Deafblind experience, Being Seen explores how our cultural concept of disability is more myth than fact, and the damage it does to us all.
Sounds Like Home: Growing Up Black and Deaf in the South by Mary Herring Wright
Mary Herring Wright recounts her experiences growing up as a Black Deaf person in Iron Mine, North Carolina, from the 1920s through the 1940s. Her story is unique and historically significant because it provides valuable descriptive information about the faculty and staff of the North Carolina school for Black Deaf and Blind students from the perspective of a student as well as a student teacher. Wright’s account is one of enduring faith, perseverance, and optimism.
The Butterfly Cage by Rachel Zemach
A look behind the scenes of the struggles and triumphs of Deaf students and a Deaf teacher in a hearing-centered school system. With sharp humor and raw honesty, Zemach shares the daily frustrations of battling everything from inaccessible announcements to the devasting impact of language deprivation. Through vivid classroom storytelling, she captures unforgettable moments from her career, including the heartbreaking journey of Laszlo, a language-hungry boy who will stay with you long after the last page.
Silent Courage: An Introvert’s Authentic Journey with Hearing Loss by Susan van de Walt
If you’re an introvert living with hearing loss, you know the world often feels too loud—and too fast. Silent Courage offers a quiet companion for the journey. Through honest personal stories, practical tools, and faith-filled encouragement, you’ll find support that honors both your need for calm and your desire to grow.
Articulate: A Deaf Memoir of Voice by Rachel Kolb
Born profoundly deaf the same year the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed, Rachel Kolb grew up as part of the first generation of deaf individuals with legal access to accessibility services. In Articulate, she weaves memoir and cultural commentary to explore language, deafness, and self-expression. Kolb shares her journey from learning to speak through speech therapy and lipreading to finding meaning in American Sign Language (ASL) and literature, ultimately realizing that “articulation” is not about perfect pronunciation but about genuine human connection.
I’ll Tell You Later: Deaf Survivors of Dinner Table Syndrome by Kris Ringman, Michael Davidson, and 17 other Deaf and hard of hearing writers, edited by Raymond Luczak
“I’ll tell you later” The most damaging promise a hearing family member can make to a Deaf person. For generations, Deaf family members have sat silently at dinner tables, excluded from conversations and promised explanations that never come, a phenomenon now known as Dinner Table Syndrome. In this anthology, nineteen Deaf and hard of hearing writers share their DTS experiences of anguish and defiance through essays, short stories, and poems, all of which illuminate what it means to be left starving at mealtime.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Certified Public Accountants: Professional Journeys by Michael E Kane
Mike Kane brings together 12 role models to share their experiences and advice. From personal stories about growing up deaf to practical tips on preparing for and taking the CPA exam, this book is a compelling and worthwhile read. The book provides an interesting view into each person’s background and career experiences as well as the role models who encouraged them along the way.
Book in the Science Fiction area
Milan by Nick Sturely
Science Fiction Thriller inspired by a pivotal moment in Deaf history. In 1880, the Milan Conference suppressed the natural rights of Deaf people by banning sign language, leaving a lasting impact. Now, a mysterious force named MILAN turns all British Deaf people into hearing individuals, nearly eradicating sign language. Deaf survivors John McCalvin and Dawn Winters are pursued by MILAN’s hunters, led by the villainous Redlips. The battle to preserve Deaf community and culture begins.
Whether through fictional narratives or personal accounts, these authors shed light on unique challenges and triumphs that enrich our understanding of the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard-of-Hearing experience.
At ICS, these stories fuel our dedication to providing accessible communication services and fostering inclusivity. We hope you add some of these titles to your summer reading, book club selection, or back-to-school list!
Book in the Science Fiction area? Are there any?
Milan by Nick Sturely
Science Fiction Thriller inspired by a pivotal moment in Deaf history. In 1880, the Milan Conference suppressed the natural rights of Deaf people by banning sign language, leaving a lasting impact. Now, a mysterious force named MILAN turns all British Deaf people into hearing individuals, nearly eradicating sign language. Deaf survivors John McCalvin and Dawn Winters are pursued by MILAN’s hunters, led by the villainous Redlips. The battle to preserve Deaf community and culture begins.
I have added the same to the article as well.
Thanks! Will look for, buy and read. If wanted, will do a review.
Nancy
Great list of books, however my grandson’s online class is looking for a lower high-school age book that is signed and verbal. They have two deaf children in the class and want to read a book together as a group. Any suggestions?
Hi Nancy, it’s wonderful that your grandson’s class is looking for a book to read together! ASL read-aloud stories are typically geared toward children’s books. While the reading level may be lower, these books offer a great chance for students to build bilingual skills, learn new signs, and observe the grammatical differences between ASL and English. We recommend checking out our blog: https://inclusiveasl.com/accessibility/childrens-books-with-deaf-characters-and-sign-language/
Please consider adding my book The Butterfly Cage: https://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Cage-Rachel-Zemach/dp/1959804502 to your list. It is about by and about a Deaf teacher teaching a Deaf class in a public school. Individual students journeys, class dynamics, Deaf history and the teacher’s personal life as well as a Deaf school are all in it and it is good for interpreters, SLP’s, admin, parents, general readers or TOD’s.
Hi Rachel, wonderful recommendation! We have added The Butterfly Cage to the official list and will promote your book on social media this month of September for Deaf Awareness Month. Thank you for your comment and all the work you do for Deaf community!
Hello. Laura Brown (Matzahball Surprise, Wrong Number) is a hard-of-hearing author whose books often feature deaf or hard-of-hearing protagonists. I noticed she wasn’t on the list.
On a side note: I have never seen this many Nancy’s in one comment area.
Hi Nancy (or should I say Nancy #3 – I laughed at your side note!) Thank you for your recommendation, Laura Brown has been officially added to the list and her book Matzah Ball Surprise has been officially added to my shopping cart.