Jenny Han meets CODA in this big-hearted YA debut about first love and Deaf pride at a summer camp.
Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Anna Sortino’s Give Me A Sign, which is out July 11th!
Lilah is stuck in the middle. At least, that’s what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes—when you don’t feel “deaf enough” to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to meet the world’s expectations. But this summer, Lilah is ready for a change.
When Lilah becomes a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind, her plan is to brush up on her ASL. Once there, she also finds a community. There are cute British lifeguards who break hearts but not rules, a YouTuber who’s just a bit desperate for clout, the campers Lilah’s responsible for (and overwhelmed by)—and then there’s Isaac, the dreamy Deaf counselor who volunteers to help Lilah with her signing.
Romance was never on the agenda, and Lilah’s not positive Isaac likes her that way. But all signs seem to point to love. Unless she’s reading them wrong? One thing’s for Lilah wanted change, and things here . . . they’re certainly different than what she’s used to.
“Ready?” Isaac asks. His deep-brown eyes are wide and curious. I can feel his breath on my cheek as he gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. A smile creeps onto my face. I can do this. Maybe he’ll even hold my hand.
I give a small nod, reaching back to my ears, needing to confirm that I did, in fact, take out my hearing aids. I obviously can tell the difference, but it’s a nervous tic of mine whenever I’m about to dive into a pool or step into the shower. Or jump off a bridge.
Isaac effortlessly climbs onto the top rail and holds out a hand, offering to help me up. And then, he doesn’t let go. Expertly reading the emotions on my face, he raises his thick eyebrows, asking if I’m good to go. I squeeze his hand, mouthing the word “yes.”
He counts, “Three, two, one,” and we launch ourselves into the night.
As soon as we’re airborne, my adrenaline overtakes my fear. But it’s all too brief, and then I crash through the surface of the lake with a splat. Fishy water rushes up my nose. We’d drifted apart, but Isaac finds me. I float to the top, sputtering as I emerge. My hair is a sopping, tangled mess.
Isaac treads beside me as I blink out the stinging water, so I turn away, but he swims around to face me. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” I answer slowly, careful not to splash myself in the face as I sign. I hold my breath and dip my head back under, gathering my hair sleek behind me and out of my face.
“Happy you jumped?” Isaac raises his thick eyebrows.
“Yes,” I sign, smiling deliriously, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. “I was scared, but you really helped. I don’t want to, um . . .” I search for the sign. “Miss, m-i-s-s?” He nods. I love that he doesn’t mind filling in the blanks for me. “I don’t want to miss something just because I’m scared.”
“I understand. Happy to help.” He wraps an arm around my waist to keep me above water.
“Thank you,” I sign, painfully aware of how much that sign resembles blowing a kiss. And how we’re so close together that if I were a confident flirt, I could lean forward and actually kiss his cheek.
But I don’t manage that. We just swim side by side toward the others.
It’s exhausting, trekking all the way to the trampoline that’s floating between an inflatable iceberg and flat lily pad platforms. Isaac and I climb the ladder and join the others. I lie back, letting the water coming up from beneath the bouncer mesh slosh over me. The stars are bright in the sky this far away from the city. I stare up, admiring them, ready to fall asleep right here in this spot. This is going to be an incredible summer.
