The Words in My Hands

by Asphyxia

Part coming of age, part call to action, this #ownvoices novel about a Deaf teenager is an exploration of what it means to belong.

Set in an ominously prescient near future, this is the story of Piper. Sixteen, smart, artistic, and rebellious; she's struggling to conform to what her mom wants--for her to be 'normal, ' to pass as hearing, and get a good job. But in a time of food scarcity, environmental collapse, and political corruption, Piper has other things on her mind--like survival.

Deaf since the age of three, Piper has always been told that she needs to compensate in a world that puts those who can hear above everyone else. But when she meets Marley, a whole new world opens up--one where Deafness is something to celebrate rather than hide, and where resilience and hope are created by taking action, building a community, and believing in something better.

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Disability, Fiction, Science Fiction, Romance, Australia

388 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2020

About the author

Asphyxia is an artist, writer and public speaker. Author of the much-loved junior fiction series the Grimstones, Asphyxia has also been a circus performer and puppeteer. An avid art-journal creator, she loves to share her process and help others benefit from this amazing tool for self-expression, problem-solving, planning, goal-tracking and self-esteem.

Deaf since the age of three, Asphyxia learnt to sign when she was eighteen, which changed her life. She is now a Deaf activist, sharing details of Deaf experience. She raises awareness of oppression of Deaf people and what we can do to change this. Her free online Auslan course (www.asphyxia.com.au) has had over 15,000 students.

Asphyxia is kept busy with her small farm where she combines food-growing with art - creating a magical aesthetic with plants and natural elements.

Her novel for teens, Future Girl, combines all these passions.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Words in my Hands is an OwnVoices YA book set in near future Australia about Piper, a 16 year old Deaf girl who lives in a world where food and gas are scarce. Her mom has paid for her to live like a "normal" person by having her learn to speak and lip read. Her mom never learned or had Piper learn sign language.

She meets Marley and that all changes. He is a CODA (Child of a Deaf Adult) and is having issues, like Piper, of where he fits in to the Deaf world as well as the hearing world. He teaches her sign language and his mom teaches her about growing vegetables and raising small animals for food. This becomes necessary because the food is growing more scarce by the day.

As Piper's relationship with Marley grows, her mom's and best friend's lives are crumbling around them. Piper doesn't know where she fits anymore with the two most central figures in her life. Will Piper grow into her own as a more independent person in the Deaf community, or still rely on Taylor and her mom to help her navigate the hearing world?

This is more centered on characters than it is plot, but that works really well. It's also in the style of an art journal, so you feel like you're living what she is living right along with her. I really enjoyed that. Also please read the letter from Asphyxia at the end. It has some great advice about how to communicate with the Deaf community. As a paraplegic, some of this advice also works really well with any person who has a visible or invisible disability.

My appreciation to Annick Press Ltd., the author Asphyxia, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an e-book version of this book, but I feel like I will need to see the physical book. Even digital it was beautiful and truly reminded me of a visual journal with words and amazing art work. This was an uncomfortable book to read because the apocalyptic time shortages of fuel and food were believable and this book didn’t seem quite as futuristic as I might like. The protagonist, Piper, is the deaf daughter of the food scientist that created an alternative food called recon that has been genetically created to do away with health issues like cancer. Piper is oral and relies on lip reading and hearing aids to communicate. This creates a lot of difficulties in hanging out with people. This book is about huge issues like freedom of speech and the damage humans are doing/have done to the planet, but at it’s core it is about a deaf teen who discovers who she is through learning about the Deaf community. It was a beautiful story and I know it is one that will stay with me.

[Mel (Epic Reading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m at a loss for words to describe this book. Which is perhaps the truest irony and beauty, all at once, given that The Words in my Hands leading gal is Deaf.
During this book I have learned so many new things! And while knowing a tiny bit of ASL (American Sign Language) I definitely didn’t really appreciate the isolation of being deaf and left out of… well everything. Author Asphyxia describes living Deaf as only someone who has experienced it can. She herself is Deaf.

My husband knows some ASL as he used it as a toddler/child before he could speak, and worked with a lovely Deaf gal who he translated for as often and best as he could. He continues to have interest in sign language. After reading this book we are talking about learning more of it together. This could be helpful for me if I get anxious and need to suddenly leave. I could tell him from afar that I’m either okay and need space; or that I want to leave. In the past we have used signals or code words; but I love the idea of using a real language to do this in the future. And with any luck someone Deaf will see us use ASL and know they can approach us.

The learnings in this story are complex and interwoven. From the Deaf experience and community lessons, to how to build a garden and create compost, to an extremely food scarce future; Asphyxia takes the reader on a journey unlike any other I’ve ever read. A huge part of this is the amazingly beautiful pages in the print novel. This is one of those rare instances where you MUST READ THE BOOK IN PRINT. On an e-reader (I did see what it looks like) or as an audiobook an entire facet of communicating how our lead gal feels and emotes is lost. Without the dark pages of her despair and frustration, the sunny delight of flowery pages, or the intensity of her protest drawings; I truly believe you would miss an entire component of the story, and most importantly, the character progression of our leading gal.

There is a cute little romance in this. While often not my favourite part of most teen novels this one is less annoying and more realistic than most. Asphyxia does a good job of not exaggerating or over doing the romance, despair, lust and possible love at any given time.

I could go on and on about the friendships, other relationships (Deaf and oral), adults to teens, kids to teens, etc that are so well portrayed in The Words in my Hands; but honestly I’ll never do Justice to the beauty and complexity of emotions Asphyxia shares with us as the readers.

Pick this book up. Be amazed and intrigued by it. Learn from it. Consider your own green footprint on the world (and where your food comes from). Consider your methods of communication and what they mean to you. Consider how important community and inclusivity are. Above all else consider that every one of us, regardless of disability, race, sexuality, age, or other minority distinguishing aspects are all people. And people all want to be loved and included every day.

Thank you Asphyxia for sharing this story, your experiences, and pieces of you from within the novel with us, the readers. This is a book I will never be able to forget. A true gem.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

[akacya ❦ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2024 reads: 300/250

sixteen-year-old piper has trouble conforming to what her mom wants for her: to be “normal” and get a good job. in a time of food scarcity and political corruption, all she has on her mind right now is survival. when she meets marley, the worlds of sign language and growing real food are opened up to her.

something i enjoyed about this book was its unique formatting. this was formatted just like a journal, with differently-colored pages, pen markings, and drawings. this was a lovely way to show more of piper’s character.

unfortunately, overall, this book was just okay for me. piper was sixteen, but sometimes read as younger than that. i also think the plot was a bit jumbled and didn’t always make sense. with that said, my dislike of how the plot was carried out was balanced with my appreciation of seeing piper embrace her deafness and learn to garden.

[Laura Altmann]

Told in the form of a visual diary, Future Girl is probably the most unique book I’ve ever read! Each page is embellished with beautiful decorations and drawings - and I couldn’t get enough of them. I’m not sure if this is a bad thing - but I did enjoy the artworks more than the actual story, which is why I haven’t left a rating. There were so many elements of this book that I truly loved, especially the visuals, and learning more about sign language and the Deaf community! However, there were a couple of scenes that made me quite uncomfortable (there are some farming scenes involving animal slaughter, and I’m a vegan.)

Overall, this is an amazing book and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a truly original read!

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: dystopian future, animal death, manipulative/abusive relationships, shitty parenting, bigotry against Deaf people.

This book is visually STUNNING. It's presented like the protagonist's art journal and there are visual elements on every page. The art is gorgeous and I flew through this in a day. The story - set in a dystopian future where food distribution is practically impossible because of a serious oil shortage - was compelling. I loved the way that Piper's Deafness was depicted on the page - her mother has always insisted on her using hearing aids and lip reading instead of learning AusLAN, and Piper's struggles are clear throughout.

The representation of Deaf culture is fantastic as well as educational for a hearing readership, and I really liked the focus on growing your own food. There were a couple of things I could have done without (a POSSUM?????), but on the whole this was wonderful.

[C Reads Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Annick Press for providing an early digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost, I cannot leave a review for The Words in My Hands by Asphyxia without mentioning how absolutely beautiful it is, cover to cover. So much care was put into the art on each and every page of this book. Each image not only reveals something about the events of that page but also main character Piper's mood at the time. The art tells a story in itself and while this book didn't end up being a "must read again" book for me, I will almost definitely buy a hardcopy just because this book is going to look so gorgeous on a shelf.

On to the story itself. Piper McBride is a sixteen year old living in near-future Australia, where "wild food" has started to become obsolete as more and more people switch to bioengineered food they call recon. Piper is Deaf and trying to navigate the world as the non-signing daughter of a hearing mother who desperately wants her daughter to appear "normal." As society as she knows it starts to erode, Piper learns sign language, meets a boy, and inadvertently spearheads a political movement.

There were parts of this book (besides the art!) that I loved. For the most part, I love Piper. She does some dumb, dumb stuff but she's a naive, sheltered 16-year-old. They do dumb stuff. While I didn't *like* Piper's relationship with her mom, I liked the way it was written. I kept wanting to shake Piper and tell her her mom should be the one who's ashamed for never properly learning to communicate with her daughter! Piper ends up finding something of a surrogate mother in an older Deaf woman and I really enjoyed watching that relationship unfold.

The writing was lovely, especially for a diary format, which usually isn't my favorite. I enjoyed the plot as well, and loved watching Piper learn to grow her own food as well as learn to sign, plus the political messages of the book are timely and important. The story did seem to start dragging around 70% but I liked the way it ended, [SPOILER] even if it was a little too hea for my taste.
[END SPOILER]

My main issue with this book: Marley, the love interest. 1. He's 19 while Piper's 16, in high school, and pretty immature for her age. He's been with several women, she's never had a boyfriend. It all felt just a little south of acceptable. 2. He starts to treat her like crap bc of his own insecurities while her only "crimes" are being deaf and sad, but they both end up apologizing. No thank you. 3. He's just kind of blah. This is obviously subjective but Piper spends SO MUCH TIME thinking about him, I just wish he had more of a personality. Another issue: there were a few scenes that were hard for me to read as a lifelong vegetarian, I won't get into too much detail, but let's just say necessary but graphic killing off animals for food.

While this book wasn't perfect, it was both entertaining and visually appealing, as well as feeling ominously prescient. Most importantly, it got me thinking about the ways in which my community can be more inclusive of Deaf people. Highly recommend for fans of contemporary YA, light spec fic with political themes, and mixed media books.

[clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is such a beautiful book
having followed asphyxia’s blog for a few years now i felt like i got even more of an insight into her life and vision for the world.
passionate about home grown and locally sourced food, she creates a world where ‘wild food’ is frowned upon and inaccessible, to highlight how important it is today.
on that note, i didn’t realise before reading how much like a dystopia piper’s world is. dystopia is fucking scary when it’s so realistic and likely to happen.
finally the discussion of Deafness and the Deaf community, which is why i started following asphyxia, was very very very good. it felt accessible to someone who had no interest in or knowledge of Deafness, and didn’t overload on that one aspect of piper, while still giving a great insight into how her deafness affects her.
overall i really enjoyed the story and the art was phenomenal

i highly recommend that you guys check out asphyxia’s blog to learn more about Deafness, sustainability and her art. she also has a free online auslan course which is great.

https://helloasphyxia.wordpress.com

[Alex Nonymous · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of The Words in My Hands in exchange for an honest review.

While I enjoyed how truly unique everything about this was from it's format to it's protagonist to it's world and I'm always a fan of authors using their books to examine social themes and messages, something about the characters and plot in tandem here made it difficult for me personally to connect to anything. Diary formats are always a risk that sometimes really pay off and sometimes don't and for me at least, this one fell a lot closer to the "don't" category.

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine: if the GDP was replaced with a contentment index. — Graffiti (written by Kelsey)

This is one of those books that when I saw it I knew I had to read it. This was a notable for the Children's Book Council of Australia's Book of the Year in the Young Adult category for 2021, it disappointingly missed out on being shortlisted. But I saw it there and it was an instant must-read. Asphyxia's work is always visually stunning and plays with some worthwhile themes. I'm going to be very honest, Future Girl was going to have to actively work to not be a five-star book. It did not disappoint. The plot is engaging, the writing clever and the characters are something. The art, part of the reason that Asphyxia is so good, shines, both as focal pieces and the journal details.

Future Girl is stylised as an art journal, set in near-future Melbourne, something not quite apocalyptic but certainly in that realm. In this book food as we know it is 'wild food' and the normal food people live on is Organicore's Recon (food supplement, all the nutrition and can taste as you want it to). It is the journal of 16-year-old Piper McBride, starting June 17 to December 21. Piper is Deaf and has been as such since she was 3. As the book starts she communicates through a combination of hearing aids, lip-reading and speaking but finds it difficult. Her mother is Irene McBride a strong woman and a nutritionist, the head nutritionist for Organicore. Irene and Piper but heads on at first Piper's Deafness and her pronunciation later Piper's Deafness, life path and 'wild food'. Piper is introduced to 'wild food', sign language and the Deaf community through Marley. Marley is what is known as a CODA Child of Deaf Adult. Marley rather quickly introduced Piper to his mother Robbie. Robbie is the best character and leave it at that. The less you know about her before you meet her the better. There is variety in the support characters, diversity in ethnicities abilities and sexualities (as I expected), this diversity is shown best in the community that develops around Piper's little garden. While thinking about this book while I was halfway through I realised two things, firstly Piper is an unreliable narrator, secondly, everyone is just a little bit awful and I think that makes them human. The one expectation to this awfulness is the mute pre-school age child, Taggert (I'm pretty sure there is a metaphor there somewhere). It is Piper's unreliability as a narrator that gives me serious concerns about Marley. Not explaining that because it's hard without getting into spoiler territory. This is really good writing.

Some quotes and comments
• "You're not drowning. Just swimming deep. I'm not sure I can do this teenager thing. Perhaps I'm doomed to stay a child forever." — This is one of the first focal statements Piper has in her journal. I just like it as a c piece of context.
• "Why, why, oh why can't I just take it all in like everyone else? Why does it have to be so difficult?" — I'm neurodivergent and struggle with loud grouds I feel this. It's not a lot of fun.
• Full respect for using a Covid reference, death in context. Kinglake too, somewhere that is known by the tragedies that occurred there over a decade ago now.
• I'm just in love with Robbie's house and that entire space. Robbie teasing Marley and Piper being unable to pick up on it is cute.
• "Marley only has to fingerspell half the words, because I know the signs for garden, friends and food, and instead of using the little words, he simply points. Sign language is so economical." — I really like that last line. It's just another example of English being a clumsy and barely adequate language.
• "'When the last free is gone,' she said 'civilisation will die.'" — This was Piper repeating something that Irene said to her frequently.
• There are some brilliant discussions of self, identity and independence when the world perceives you as other.

The style in which Future Girl is written is intelligent. Piper sometimes can't fully understand what is said to her even through hearing aids. As we see the world through her eyes, ears and brain that is shown. Sometimes when someone speaks to her you'll get lines like "Wekana mek a special system jestfa you"; "Yavta avana fishal pass to travel onth tram now.". These are usually from people Piper doesn't know, she struggles to lipread them and the hearing aids are painful. As she starts to learn sign from Marley and Robbie there are different styles used. Capitals for FINGERSPELLING, the first thing Piper learns and the most common sign language; sentence case for Auslan sentences (combinations of fingerspelling and words). Asphyxia Piper has included an Auslan fingerspelling chart and her learnings from Robbie the basics of compost and a Mandala garden. They have a slightly different style, more legible, with more longevity than the sketchy styles of the others. But every piece of art does complement the writing it is with.

I do want to say that I am Australian, specifically from Melbourne. I knew a lot of the place referenced in this book. The sign language used in this book will not be the same in other countries. But the environmental responsibility and activism messages will travel well. Piper is intended to send a message, to educate and to be relatable to different audiences. I think that is done well. For those that are in her position, that of an oral deaf child who can't sign, I think she tells her story well. Tells Asphyxia's story well. Aside from anything else Future Girl is just great representation, written in own voice and with beauty and style.

Yes, the question is no longer what I'm going to do but what you're going to do, Mum. — Piper McBride (this is kinda the whole point, and it's a multi-point statement on ability and environment)

A representative gif:

Apologies I know this is ASL

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sixteen-year-old Piper has been deaf since she was 3, and her mom has done everything she can to help Piper pass as “normal”. When Piper meets Marley, her world opens up to the possibilities of a world where deafness isn’t something to be hidden, but rather celebrated. Set in a near future time with food scarcities, this novel shows Piper finding herself and discovering what she wants out of life.

This story is told in the format of Piper’s journal, and we get to see all the artwork she makes in it. The characters in the story were all well-rounded, and Piper definitely behaved like a 16-year-old. I loved that the novel covered both the “small” issues in a person’s life, like the way Piper is treated by most of her classmates, as well as the some of the problems that surround society as a whole, such as freedom of speech. This was a phenomenal book, and I highly recommend it, especially to those who enjoy YA.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book.

[Dede Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking

I really liked this book. It gave me so much to think about and consider. How do we communicate? It’s not just about signing if you’re deaf, it’s about making sure you communicate well with everyone and don’t rely on texts.
Also where are we headed with all this processed food? We already know it’s not healthy but it’s convenient. What happens when important things like food, fuel, power become scarce?
It helped me understand that when you are different from the majority you still have a voice.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this wonder of a novel today, and I’m feeling all the feelings. Visually stunning is a given - check out my previous post about it for some interior shots, or head over to Asphyxia’s website! The narrative voice of Future Girl is so powerful and compelling. This is Piper’s art journal, and I love how the colour and intensity of the art and collage in the pages reflects her journey as she negotiates complex relationships with her mother, her friend and her new maybe boyfriend, as well as her relationship with food in a near-future Melbourne dealing with a food crisis. We also gain deep insight into her experience of life as a d/Deaf person in a hearing world, and how powerful and important it is to be able to communicate. Piper’s struggle to communicate as a Deaf person is effectively paralleled with the growing concerns over increasing censorship in a world where communication is all filtered through a monolithic IT corporation. Asphyxia plays beautifully with the idea of voice - spoken, written, signed, painted or texted, our voices matter, and EVERYONE should have the right to use their.
I’ve always been interested in learning to sign, but I have to confess to previously not having fully understood the depth, complexity and beauty of signing as its own distinct and unique language. This book was eye-opening to me about some of the issues around accessible communication for the deaf community. I know that I’ll always be a hearing person who can sign a little, and that my relationship with this language will always be as an outsider, but it’s something that I’m committed to starting to learn now, rather than just always thinking about it. This book is a wonder, and it’s high in the list of best books I’ve read this year, and ones I’ll be recommending for a long time to come.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generally I am an advocate for any format of book for reading, however, this one must be read in physical format. The collage style of journal entries on heavy paper make for a visual and tactile experience.

Asphyxia tells a story of all too possible future Australia. Fuel shortages wreak havoc with food shortages and burgeoning environmental disasters. Society relies on processed food scientifically modified with anti-disease components. Distributed through an agency - Organicore. Seems to me the name is an oxymoron.

The future girl is Piper who is deaf - lost her hearing at 3 years of age. Her mother is adamant that Piper be 'normal' so Piper uses hearing aids and lip reads. The level of concentration required for Piper to fulfil her mother's expectations taxes Piper. Frequent headaches and exhaustion weigh Piper down.

Piper meets Marley a CODA (child of deaf adults) who knows Auslan. Marley teaches Piper Auslan and introduces her to his mother, Robbie who is a self-sufficient gardener. Robbie is the catalyst for Piper's life-changing foray into sustainability. A wonderful array of characters help Piper on her journey to self-discovery and alternative lifestyle.

p 348 "Then Robbie's fingers become the vines, climbing up the trees tangling across the branches, and she shows me that my face must now radiate peace and serenity. It's visual poetry."

This book is visual poetry and may it garner many awards.

[Chris Dietzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started off a little all over the place, being part YA romance, coming of age, environmental dystopian, Big Brother dystopian, outcast drama, etc. But as it settled in it found its pace and developed into a good story. The author also contributed art throughout, which was nice. Recommended if you enjoy YA dystopians or YA coming of age.

[Jeanine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought this book was great. Loved the visual aspect (colorful journal), the character and I learned a LOT about the world of the Deaf. Which makes me question why our society talks so much about people with disabilities, without perhaps exploring what it is really like from their side.. my compliments to the author- an engaging and enlightening read, visually beautiful and very accessible.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was unlike anything I've read lately. It takes place in Australia, sometime in the future, since everyone is communicating on wristlets, which can be implanted into their wrist if they can afford it. A lot of people are living off this food that comes in a box and you press a button on the box to heat it. It's a product called BioSpore that takes on the taste of whatever the item is supposed to be, whether it's steak, fish, or something else. Food grown organically is considered "wild food" and people are discouraged from growing or harvesting it. Unfortunately, there's a food shortage, so that makes things even worse.

Piper is a teenager growing up in this society and her mom is a big name at Organicore, which produces the BioSpore items. There's a lot of political strife caused by Organicore and the wristlet system called QuestTool (a.k.a. "Cesspool"). Piper is also Deaf and straddling between the hearing world and the Deaf world. Her hearing aids and lipreading don't help her in most situations, so when she meets Marley, a cute guy who runs a bicycle shop, she is introduced to Auslan (Australian Sign Language) and Marley's mother, who is also Deaf. Marley's mother teaches Piper about composting and harvesting food, which opens new possibilities for her. However, there are a lot of complications, especially in the political climate.

This was definitely an interesting story. I felt bad for all the stress Piper was going through, such as her mom's job situation, lack of money, lack of food, not being able to understand most people, etc. The way it is written, we definitely see everything through Piper's eyes, which includes not understanding most of what people are saying. The story is laid out in a journal format, but I am not fond of that style when dialogue is used so often. We also get to visualize some of the dialogue, since she's describing the signs for certain words. There's a lot of artwork on the pages, which is really cool. I love the design of the book for this reason and Asphyxia is a great artist.

I was mostly fixated on everything surrounding Piper being Deaf. This hits close to home for me and it also made me think of the movie CODA (since Marley is a CODA himself). Piper is in a complicated situation, as her mother expects her to speak, yet she feels more comfortable signing. She also doesn't want new people to know she can speak because then they will think she's lying about being Deaf. Asphyxia writes more about being Deaf in the author notes and tells people how they should be treating and responding to someone who is Deaf. She shares more information on sign language too. I only really know how to fingerspell and I usually do that instead of actual signing, which I am terrible at.

I wasn't so keen on reading about gardening, as that's just not my thing, and it dragged the story at times. I did like how people came together as a community though. I also didn't like the descriptions of killing animals. I'm not a vegetarian, but it was still too much for me. I get that it was for survival, but it could have been done "behind the scenes" instead of right in front of our faces, so to speak.

Overall, the story was well-told and I was definitely rooting for Piper and her friends to win.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Future Girl is the art journal of 16 year old Piper, beautifully written and illustrated by Deaf writer, artist and activist, Asphyxia.
Piper’s mum wants her to be normal, to pass as hearing and get a good job. But when peak oil hits Piper has more important things to worry about, such as how to get food. Then she meets Marley, who is the child of a Deaf adult, and a door opens into a new world.
Highly recommend.

[Brandy Painter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the disability rep, the relationships, and the social issues tied to both disability and wider problems the author was dealing with. Unfortunately, the future setting didn't work for me as well as everything else.

[Michael Earp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic in both story and format.

[lucy grace ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it sm I read it again

[Kathy MacMillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Australia a few decades into the future, this compelling novel presents a world where most of the population is dependent on Organicore, a food substitute that has improved nutrition and eradicated cancer and other diseases, but at the cost of estranging the population from so-called “wild food” – and possibly introducing other health problems. In the midst of this we meet Piper, a deaf teen who has grown up as an oral deaf person, relying on hearing aids and speechreading to get by. When the economy tanks and there are shortages of everything – including Organicore – Piper and her mother rent out their house and move into a tiny guesthouse, conserving the little power that is left to them. Piper meets a handsome CODA (child of deaf adult) named Marley and through him is introduced to Auslan (Australian Sign Language) for the first time. As she falls for Marley, she meets his Deaf mother and learns about growing things in the earth and growing a sense of identity and language in her soul. Piper lives out what Deaf educator Gina Oliva calls the “MET DEAF WOW” moment that so many orally educated deaf young adults experience. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al6I8... ) She begins to understand that she is not alone and there is a whole community of people like her, with deep connections and ease of communication. As she becomes more engaged in their world, her confidence grows and she joins the wild food revolution, converting the public space on her street into a thriving community garden. Interspersed with Piper’s drawings, the text pulls the reader in from the first page. Unlike many books with deaf (and Deaf) characters, The Words in My Hands never glosses over the relentlessness of the struggle for communication in the hearing world, and how much of that burden usually falls on Piper. When Piper is forced to rely on speechreading, the reader is shown the nonsense that she gets from the other person’s lips and sees in real time the work she has to do into order to construct meaning. The readers also gets to experience the blossoming of communication alongside Piper as she learns Auslan and comes into her own Deaf identity. An extraordinary book on many levels.

[Samantha Matherne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The format of this book and its beautiful, artistic cover lured me to check it out. The entire book is created to look like Piper's art journal with illustrations, notes, and corrections. I was already intrigued by the journey of Piper growing up urged to pass as hearing, and then the dystopian world excited me further with the food and economic crises. Her struggles to find her people and be included in her community are eye-opening to read about. After this experience, I have a deep appreciation for deaf people who lipread. Asphyxia writes out conversations exactly as Piper interprets lipreading from others, and seeing that spelled out versus what the characters actually said blows my mind. I highly recommend reading The Words in My Hands. Tips for art journaling, a note to readers regarding the deaf community, and the differences in ASL and Auslan are included.

[Cadence Lz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book as a YA coming of age, romance and drama was extremely mid. This book as an exploration of Deafness, the climate crisis, and politics was SENSATIONAL. Not only is this book outrageously important, but it is unique and experimental in the way important messages are conveyed through narrative.

Let me explain; this book is an art journal. The self awarness the novel has as you realise Piper's personal recount is infact her diary and art journal in one, is so impressive. You see the pieces she mentions, and although i dislike the art style, it is still clealry beautiful art and made the reading experience immersive with art on each page.

Which leads me quite nicely into the importance of this book as an ode to visual communication. I would ave gobbled up this tale as a 12-year-old but i truly believe anyone of any age would learn copious amounts from this story of a young Deaf girl finding her community, sense of self and voice amidst government censorship and audism from her own mother. I think its wonderful this book is catered to a younger audience, allowing teens to learn about the Deaf community at a crucial age of developing their own identity. This story is for hearing people to learn from and i think it provides just that. It touches on misinformation, assumptions about d/Deaf people, oralism, the nuanced experience of belonging for CODA's, learning sign language, the countless experiences of d/Deafness, being left out, difficulties of lip reading/hearing aids, and so so much more. All of these things are important for hearing individuals to understand, to prevent us from saying the bullshit that gets said to Piper in this book.

I love love loved the description of Robbie's garden, and ate up everything that was said about growing your own food. My whole life philosophy was described in the phrase 'i'd rather work to grow food than work to get money to pay for food' and i needed that honestly. The political censorship, wild food being eradicated, and future where wood was so scare people stole it was a dystopia a little too possible. The way Piper unlearned the lies she'd been fed through the new censored internet and remade school system felt like when you finally see that people know about how fucked up the world is and continue on anyway. That 12-year-old realisation really makes you question everything, and being with piper while she did that about what she was learning, the food she ate, her language, communication and community, was super fun.

I also adored recognising the signs that were described and celebrating Auslan through reading. It made up for the 'i need to unload all my feelings into my journal' level of angst that we were delaing with.

[Maggie Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm buying my own copy because keeping the library book is frowned upon. Piper's story stole my whole heart. #ownvoices that represent so many similarities to my own: hearing loss, learning to compensate, asking for help and yet set in the future that doesn't seem so far-fetched. This is my second Auslan title, the first being Impossible Music (Williams). I read many excerpts aloud to my family and they had epiphanies of their own Asphyxia/Piper could put words to things I've never been able to express eloquently.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is visually beautiful, the pages are striking with stunning, colourful sketches, drawings and borders decorating each one. It is presented journal style with a first person narrator. The central character is an artistically talented deaf teen called Piper who struggles to navigate the challenges of being deaf, and through this, the reader gains insight into what it is like for a deaf person to move amongst and communicate with, hearing people.
This thought-provoking and compelling dystopian story is set in Melbourne, sometime in the near future, within a landscape of familiar suburbs, which heightens the enjoyment for any Melburnians reading it.
Also a coming-of-age story, it takes place at a time when the Nation is stricken with crippling food and fuel shortages. Piper progressively discovers ways of dealing with her personal struggle as a deaf person, and also finds inspiration through friendships she develops, in learning how and why to grow real food and to be self-sufficient, rather than rely on manufactured food supplies developed, distributed and controlled by the Government.
Censorship is rife and freedom of speech is being curtailed, but with a great sense of purpose and determination, and the support of an independent movement of people who believe in traditional ways of survival, she courageously sets out to promote radical change.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A YA book with tons of illustrations! Such a treat! Permaculture as a plot point! So great! A really interesting Deaf protagonist! Illustrations of the Auslan fingerspelling alphabet. So very different than ASL! I loved so many things about this book!

Read for Librarian Book Group

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful story!

[Sofia B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve learned to finger spell but I don’t know how good I am.

[Adam Werley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 So many cross-curricular applications for this novel...it could honestly touch about every curricular area in a school. Lots to think about and enjoy here.