"Fourteen-year-old Max lost his hearing because of a boating accident and has spent two years trying to adjust. (...) Sign language is represented using capital letters, and effectively highlights the daily communication barriers Max faces. Characters default to white, and a helpful glossary of Scottish phrases is included. VERDICT: An interesting book that shows character growth and some unexpected twists; recommended for fans of Carl Hiaasen or Gordon Korman."—School Library Journal
"This contemporary techno-thriller is absorbing, tautly written, and frighteningly realistic... An intriguing mystery combined with an emotional story of challenges and successes"—Kirkus Reviews
"a gripping eco-adventure"—Financial Times
"Teens with additional needs star in this eco thriller"—iNews
"thrilling and a real page turner"—Rebecca Mansell, CEO of the British Deaf Association
"A page-turning adventure with a great cast of characters, powerful food for thought around disability language and preconceptions, plus a timely environmental theme.”—BookTrust
"Full of empathy & rich relationships. An incredibly nuanced book!"—Scottish Book Trust
"a page-turning, inclusive eco-thriller for our times"—LoveReading4Kids
"The book that absolutely needed to be written (...) Empathetic, honest and compelling."—Barbara Henderson, twice winner of the Young Quills Award and author of The Reluctant Rebel and The Chessmen Thief
"An exciting environmental thriller with an empathy-fuelled inclusive twist. Excellent positive representation … we can all learn a little something from this!"—Dan Smith, award-winning author of Below Zero and Boy X
"an exciting adventure story with an important message about accepting differences"—Lindsay Littleson, Kelpies Prize winner and Carnegie-nominated author of The Rewilders and Guardians of the Wild Unicorns
04/01/2024
Gr 5 Up—Fourteen-year-old Max lost his hearing because of a boating accident and has spent two years trying to adjust. Scragness Island, a small fishing community off the coast of Scotland, has few educational supports, and Max resents small group learning where he is surrounded by students he disparagingly terms "zoomers." However, the government is installing new wind turbines that promise broadband access and free cell phones to all residents. Max is hopeful, since a promised speech-to-text app will finally allow him to reconnect with friends and family who struggle to communicate through sign language. Once the wind turbines come online, however, strange things begin happening: birds disappear, animals exhibit unexpected aggressiveness, and people become irritable and out of sorts. Only Max and Erin, who is also deaf, seem to be immune. Enlisting the help of fellow classmates Beanie and David, they ultimately unravel a mystery that involves subliminal waves and mind control. While this dark twist becomes the main story, Max learns the importance of disregarding labels and challenging his preconceived biases. Beanie has Down syndrome, and David uses a wheelchair and they, along with Erin, are key in thwarting the government experiment. Sign language is represented using capital letters, and effectively highlights the daily communication barriers Max faces. Characters default to white, and a helpful glossary of Scottish phrases is included. VERDICT An interesting book that shows character growth and some unexpected twists; recommended for fans of Carl Hiaasen or Gordon Korman.—Michael Van Wambeke
2024-02-03
An accident aboard his dad’s fishing boat causes a Scottish boy to become deaf.
Two years after the accident, 14-year-old Max is still coping with this change. He’s frustrated with his family (which includes a new baby), his old gang of bullies, the challenge of learning sign language, and integrating with his new classmates. Having previously scorned kids like Erin, who was born deaf, Beanie, who has Down syndrome, and David, who uses a wheelchair, he has difficulty accepting their friendship and recognizing their intelligence. In exchange for permitting wind turbines, the residents of his small island, which was previously too remote for internet access, are promised smartphones and the latest technology. But, unbeknownst to anyone, a scientist is using the turbines to run wicked experiments, causing sleeplessness and outbreaks of aggression among the local population. Max and his new friends must work together and use their abilities to save the island. Max ultimately grows in his relationships and works to engage his former friends, showing them that differences can be positive. This contemporary techno-thriller is absorbing, tautly written, and frighteningly realistic. Dialogue in British Sign Language is distinguished through the use of a different font in all caps. Realistically portraying kids’ cruelty and the protagonist’s own self-doubts, this novel will encourage readers to think about their own actions.
An intriguing mystery combined with an emotional story of challenges and successes. (British and American Sign Language alphabets, map, glossary) (Mystery. 9-13)
