This book was awesome! Very deep and moving for a children's book. The main character Joey has substntial hearing loss caused by her father's abuse. Her mother won't let her learn sign language because it announces to the world that her daughter is deaf. Joey meets a young Chimpnanzee named Sukari who has been taught sign language. A friendship forms between Joey, Sukari, and the scientist who has taught Sukariu sign language for research purposes. As Joey learns sign language her world broadens. Whn the scientist dies, Joey must decide whether to stand up for herself and her secret knowledge of sign language and save the chimps used in research. This book has messages on many levels. The powe of finding your voice, literally and figuratively, as well as the plight of animals used in research all round the world. Chimps, especially, who are out genetic cousins and the closest living hominid realtions on this earth deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and humanity. The author feels this as well and this comes out as one of the strongest messages in this book. I chose this book because of my interest in psychology and in the use of sign language to communicate with non human primates. The book does not disappoint. It was a remmondation from the 2008 Schneider Family Award list.