(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jiemei Lin. Tenderly told in first person, Yang's lyrical autobiographical picture book depicts her childhood struggle with selective mutism. Her descriptions of how selective mutism presents at school are vivid and authentic, as when she relates the distressing experience of being called to speak during attendance: "Trying to get the air out of my mouth feels like I'm pushing my heart up into my throat." Readers learn that her discomfort with speaking stems from alienating experiences witnessing the impatience of native English speakers when her immigrant Hmong mother tries to communicate. In contrast, young Kalia is comfortable speaking Hmong with her family at home, where "everyone speaks normally to everyone else. It is a song, uninterrupted, and it flows and flows." Classmates, portrayed with various skin tones, are shown engaged in conversation or play while Kalia remains alone, immersed in examining natural objects such as a feather or pebble. Lin's earth tones and muted colors reflect Kalia's affinity with the natural world. Nods to Hmong culture are captured through Lin's illustrations of clothing, meals, and artwork adorning the household. The story ends with a hopeful encounter with a potential friend. In the author's note, Yang provides a pronunciation guide and translations and shares her journey to finding her voice through writing.

Reviewer: Kristine Techavanich | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 4-6 Bex dreams of becoming a writer, and usually the words flow from her pencil. But not this summer; now she has more erasures than words. Her younger brother, Davey, gives Bex some advice: "Writers must tell the truth thoroughly, constantly, and recklessly. Do that and the words will come." It's advice Bex appears to follow as she describes how she and Davey find a mysterious statue near their home in the North Carolina salt marsh. For years, it had been covered by a river (a body of water Davey will not enter but dubs the River Sticks), but it is now increasingly visible as the water recedes during a serious drought. Bex decides on the perfect summer plan: the two of them will discover the statue's provenance. Their exclusivity makes sense, as Davey appears to be selectively mute around everyone but Bex and she's had a falling-out with her best friend. However, a sudden revelation midway through the novel shatters that presumed truth-telling. McDunn (Honestly Elliott, rev. 3/22) has written a story that the character of Davey would want to read: "This book starts happy, gets sad, and then at the end, it's happy and sad mixed up together. That's what makes it special, that it has both."

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) YA Sixteen-year-old Ariana, self-diagnosed as selectively mute and autistic, is thrilled when popular Luis turns his attention toward her. But when he sexually assaults her and then brags about it to his friends ("It's not like she can say no"), Ariana is plagued with shame and self-doubt: "How can I blame him when I couldn't even bring myself to tell him to stop?" Enter the Luis Ortega Survival Club (TLOSC), a group of Luis's former friends and ex-flames, some of whom he also assaulted. They welcome Ariana with talk of revenge; soon genuine friendships bloom, and eventually something more between Ariana and bi member Shawni. Ari wants to expose Luis's crimes but doesn't know if she will ever be ready to make her rape public. Reyes (The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School) empathetically explores issues of consent and rape culture through a neurodiverse lens in this story of self-empowerment. Many readers will see themselves reflected in TLOSC's diverse membership and appreciate Ari's gradual understanding and ownership of her sexuality as she grows closer to Shawni and comes to realize that what happened with Luis was not her fault.

Reviewer: Jennifer Hubert Swan | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(1) 4-6 Like many Japanese Americans, the Asai family has been sent to Manzanar during World War II. Mari has always enjoyed a special bond with her older brother, Mak--he alone seems to appreciate and nurture her gift for ­drawing--but when he decides to enlist in the army, it divides the family. Their father, Ichiro, refuses to speak to Mak, and Mari takes a vow of silence, pledging to remain mute until her brother returns. The story is told from Mari's first-person perspective, but when letters from Mak arrive, the narrative segues into graphic-novel panels that vividly capture his experiences in the 442nd infantry regiment, the most decorated in U.S. military history. Mak and his comrades exhibit heroism and bravery, even in the face of prejudice. In contrast, Mari chronicles daily life in Manzanar, particularly the community's response to her silence; the evolving dynamics among her father, mother, and absent brother; and the sense of optimism that permeates the story's end as Mak is spared the worst violence of the war and the Asai family makes plans for the next chapter in their lives beyond Manzanar. Mari's reflective internal narrative, coupled with Mak's action-packed sequences, marks this unique contribution to the growing body of work in children's literature around Japanese American internment.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) 4-6 Orphanhood and running away to the circus--both narratives have their conventions, and in this novel set in 1939 starring eleven-year-old Lucy, Choldenko makes the most of them. The Iowa orphanage where Lucy, who is selectively mute, is kept is gothically bleak, gray, and cold, presided over by a cruel matron. The circus Lucy escapes to along with three other orphans is vibrant and full of rough kindness and iconic circus characters: the knife thrower, the strong woman, the roustabout, and elephants. The escape drama involves cunning, courage, negotiation, and close brushes with danger of all sorts. The interpersonal story involves the occasional benevolent adult, some two-timing rogues, the loyal among the circus family, and disputes among the four escapees. Tension and hope are maintained with the parallel story, told in letters, of Lucy's older sister's attempts to locate her. A historically based element of the plot introduces a mystery that ties in to Lucy's inability to speak, involving an actual experiment performed on orphans in the 1930s in which verbally fluent children were treated to derision and criticism to see if stuttering could be induced. Underlying it all is a straightforward but compelling story arc: Lucy needs to find a voice and a family, and readers will root for her to regain both. An author's note provides detail on the use of historical source material; a glossary of circus terms is also appended.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(2) K-3 Drawn as a sunshine-yellow, dog-like creature with a heart-shaped nose and pointy triangular ears, a nonverbal girl tells readers via a thought bubble: "I don't speak. But my brother finds it easy!" During spaghetti dinner, TV-watching with Grandma, read-aloud time, and tooth-brushing, the girl's thoughts and her brother's words are in sync, with the girl's gestures and facial expressions aiding communication. But when it's pajama time, the girl notices that her stuffed animal, Bunny, is missing. Wailing "EEEEEEEEE!" she dashes outside to search for Bunny, startling her brother and grandmother, who don't understand what she's up to. Brother's flashlight saves the day, and the siblings' bedtime routine soon resumes its easy rhythm. Robbins eschews labels in her story, but a brief author bio notes how growing up with an autistic brother "informs and shapes her writing." With minimal text, Robbins presents challenges ("All the noises at dinner are too much. I wish I could turn my ears off"), moments of pride ("I am teaching my brother a guessing game with drawing"), and key supports, such as flashcards and bathroom help. Thick, loose-lined drawings imbued with cheerful color offer a family portrait that normalizes autism and celebrates love and connection. Pair this with Robbins's Me and My Sister for another slice-of-life story, told from the brother's perspective.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(2) YA In a haunting work of speculative fiction incorporating African diaspara cultural markers, adolescent Jam (a transgender hearing person who communicates selectively, using both sign language and vocal speech) lives in a utopian town now free of "monsters" (oppressors and manifestations of evil). When a creature in one of her mother's paintings comes to life, Jam learns that it's hunting a monster--a monster that lives in Jam's best friend's house. The plot moves steadily as Jam investigates the creature's claims, and the story intensifies to a startling climax.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(3) 4-6 In 1977, twelve-year-old Dulcie, who's been mute since her mother's suicide, is dumped "like a stray pup without a basket" at her aunt's house in rural Ohio. There, with the help of others, she slowly begins to heal and find her voice again. Dulcie is a richly drawn protagonist struggling with enormous sadness, but debut novelist Schoenbohm's light, folksy writing keeps the story's tone hopeful.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(2) 4-6 Originally sent to Earth to observe and gather data, a trio of extraterrestrial smart-mass-holograph-research-units (SMHRs) discovers an interdimensional tear that allows negative energy into our world. Overstepping their mission, the SMHRs recruit four youngsters to save Earth. Humor, particularly surrounding the SMHRs' appearance, breaks the tension, while short chapters with exciting cliffhangers propel the plot at a quick pace.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) YA Anxiety-sufferer Stefanie Brons hates the diagnosis "selective mutism": it makes others think she has control over her inability to speak. (Her narrative voice, however, is wonderfully sardonic and plainspoken.) When Steffi befriends cute new boy Rhys, who's deaf, and communicates with him through sign language, she sees herself anew. Thunder is the rare, authentic novel that dives into the day-to-day of debilitating anxiety.

Reviewer: Robyn Bahr

(2) 4-6 Princess Ryn's older brothers are turned into swans by their new stepmother. This retelling of the Grimms' tale "The Six Swans" is fleshed out with a fantasy framework that employs believable catalysts to unpack some of the tale's more mystical plot points, bringing readers into close sympathy with protagonist Ryn. Inventive twists on the original bring vitality to the well-known ending.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(3) 4-6 Five socially awkward sixth graders in Seattle learn they have more in common than they thought while they gather ingredients for sleepover soup--a soup, blessed by the Hawaiian gods, that grants wishes. This delightful modern adaptation of "Stone Soup" steeped in Hawaiian folklore is narrated by Leilani, an oversharer who immediately draws readers into her story with her chatty impulsiveness.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes