Leading Ladies

Deaf Child Crossing #3

by Marlee Matlin, Doug Cooney

"It doesn't make sense to me...in the book, Dorothy is a girl who can hear and talk - and Toto is a little dog. So I'm sorry - but I just don't see a Dorothy who's deaf and talks with her hands and has a great big dog for Toto!"

Megan's fourth-grade class is putting on their own original musical based on the book The Wizard of Oz, and Megan wants to be the star of the show and play Dorothy. Since she's deaf, she will sign the songs for her audition. However, a problem develops when Lizzie, her best friend from camp, transfers from her all-deaf school to Megan's class - and signs the same two songs that Megan was going to do! Luckily, Megan has some other ideas up her sleeve...

Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin and Doug Cooney follow Deaf Child Crossing and Nobody's Perfect with this winning story that perfectly captures the humor, joys, and frustration of childhood friendships.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published November 6, 2007

About the author

Marlee Matlin, deaf since she was eighteen months old, won the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her role in Children of a Lesser God. She was also nominated for Emmy Awards for her performances in Seinfeld, Picket Fences, The Practice and Law And Order: SVU. Marlee also guest starred on ABCs award winning Desperate Housewives, My Name is Earl and CSI: New York. In 2007 Marlee joined the cast of Showtimes cutting edge drama The L Word. Marlee is the author of the childrens books Deaf Child Crossing and Nobody's Perfect. She is affiliated with a number of charities primarily benefiting children. Marlee lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and their four children.

Reviews

[Lucy]

Megan is deaf, but that's not what makes her special. What makes Megan special is that she's smart and funny and dramatic and fun to be around. And when Megan's teacher announces that their class is going to be putting on a production of The Wizard of Oz, Megan can't wait to try out for Dorothy.

But when Lizzie, her best friend from camp, transfers to her school from the all-deaf school where she used to go, Megan has a problem. Because Lizzie wants to be Dorothy, too!

The best thing about this book is that Megan is a fully developed child. She's deaf, and that's definitly a part of who she is, but it doesn't define her. It's not ALL that Megan is. It's like being musical, or tone deaf, or good at sports.

Unfortunately, some of the plotlines feel a little contrived, and the secondary characters--Megan's family, for instance, feel very flat and one-dimensional.

But all in all, it's a sweet, fun middle grade girl book.

[Angela]

Cute story about growing up, family relations, and the woes of elementary school friendship. And, what most of us can't relate to, being deaf through it all. Good book for kids to understand that those that are different are just like they are.

[Sue]

Jenny read this book. This is a book about a class performance of "The Wizard of OZ." The main character, Megan, is deaf. If you like theater, this is a fun book to read. It has the excitement of the auditions, rehearsals, and performance itself.

[Sophia]

I loved this series! I read them about 3yrs ago and even got Leading Ladies signed by Marlee Matlin herself! Being Deaf and Hard of Hearing (but not Deaf or Death :) myself, i found this to be an accurate representation of the amazing Deaf culture!

[Brynn]

Book review book #2 for school library system.

[Katie]

Cute! Even though it's very much for kids, it kept me interested the whole time, and I really felt for Megan at the end.

[Kate]

I like this book a lot, and I don't why.

[Lindsay]

This is the last book in the series of deaf child crossing.

[Lia]

There is no difference weather you are deaf or not it is just a matter of hearing differently. Treat everyone the same.

[Fatima]

ths book is good it is a continuation from deaf chld crossing and nobody's perfect

[Tricia]

What a great book! I loved it! I reomend it for ages 9-11

[Deb]

Love Doug Cooney (co-author). Found this on a list of young adult novels with deaf characters in them.

[Robyn]

I'm reading this for my ASL class--its about a young deaf girl's experience trying out for the school play (and its definitely for young readers).

[Mas5thgrade2012]

This book is really good!!!!!!!!!!!

HorsebackRider1

[Kara]

This was by far my favorite of the three books written about Megan.

[MaryKay]

I've really enjoyed this series!

[Ruth]

Since when is sapphire purple? Everyone knows amethyst is purple. Sapphire is blue.

[Ali]

This was a sweet book about a deaf girl and her life particularly her role in a school production of the Wizard of Oz. I would be delighted for my kids to read this when they are old enough. This is a Juv book. I picked it up because I’m interested in the author about whom there is now a PBS documentary.

[Kat]

Loved this book!!!!!

[Shelby Keller]

i havent read it yet

[Kathy MacMillan]

Rivalries abound when Megan’s fourth-grade class puts on a production of “The Wizard of Oz” and she has her heart set on playing Dorothy…but so does her friend Lizzie.