
Reach for this book when your child feels like their potential is being limited by others or when they are struggling to advocate for their own needs. Joey Willis has been deaf since childhood, but her mother's refusal to let her learn sign language has left her isolated in a world of lip-reading and silence. Everything changes when she meets a neighbor and his chimpanzee, Sukari, who teach her that communication is a right, not a privilege. This story explores deep themes of animal welfare, the ethics of scientific research, and the painful but necessary process of standing up to a parent. It is a powerful choice for middle schoolers (ages 10 to 14) who are developing their own moral compass and learning how to use their voice to protect themselves and those who cannot speak for themselves. Parents should note that while the bond with the chimpanzee is heartwarming, the book deals realistically with animal cruelty, making it a poignant and emotionally heavy read.
Your experience helps other parents find the right book.
Sign in to write a reviewDepictions of animal cruelty and the physical conditions of a research laboratory.
A mentor figure passes away, which acts as a catalyst for the plot's climax.
Explores the ethics of animal testing versus medical advancement.
Joey takes significant risks to save Sukari.
The book addresses disability and animal experimentation with a direct, secular approach. The mother's behavior borders on emotional abuse through neglect of Joey's developmental needs. The resolution is realistic and bittersweet: it offers hope for Joey’s future but does not shy away from the trauma of the lab environment.
A 12-year-old who feels misunderstood by their family or an animal lover who is beginning to question the ethics of how humans treat other species.
Parents should preview the middle and later chapters detailing the conditions of the chimpanzee research facility, as these scenes are visceral and may be upsetting for sensitive readers. A parent may choose this after hearing their child say, 'You never listen to me,' or witnessing their child struggle with a barrier that the parent has been trying to minimize rather than accommodate.
Younger readers (10-11) will focus on the girl-and-animal bond and the unfairness of the mother's rules. Older readers (13-14) will better grasp the complex ethics of animal testing and the nuances of the mother's fear-based parenting.
Unlike many 'disability' books that focus on a cure or 'overcoming' the condition, this book focuses on the social and linguistic barriers created by the hearing world and highlights the cognitive parallels between humans and primates.
Joey Willis is thirteen and has been deaf since age six. Her overprotective and controlling mother forbids her from learning American Sign Language (ASL), insisting she rely on lip-reading to appear 'normal.' Joey discovers a neighbor, Charlie, who is raising a young chimpanzee named Sukari using ASL. As Joey secretly learns to sign, she finds a sense of identity and agency. However, the story takes a dramatic turn when Sukari is sent to a research laboratory, forcing Joey to fight for the animal's safety while finally confronting her mother's limitations.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.