Fiction and non-fiction which have characters suffering from selective mutism (also called "elective mutism"). This is when a person can speak but, for psychological reasons, does not. Often they speak in some settings (like home) but not others (like school).
1

by
3.83 avg rating — 5,914 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.30 avg rating — 317,518 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
3.93 avg rating — 13,733 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
4.28 avg rating — 16,037 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
3.86 avg rating — 68,709 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.29 avg rating — 88,503 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.04 avg rating — 1,464 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.12 avg rating — 1,979 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
4.05 avg rating — 630,137 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
3.82 avg rating — 3,647 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
3.95 avg rating — 49,813 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
4.11 avg rating — 791,695 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.15 avg rating — 10,785 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.17 avg rating — 667,864 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
3.76 avg rating — 60,180 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
16

by
3.72 avg rating — 214 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
17

by
3.97 avg rating — 33,964 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
4.29 avg rating — 70,946 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
3.97 avg rating — 11,325 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
3.79 avg rating — 6,819 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
4.03 avg rating — 428 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
4.15 avg rating — 5,661 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
4.30 avg rating — 3,023 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.42 avg rating — 42,854 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.11 avg rating — 19 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.31 avg rating — 16 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.08 avg rating — 24,444 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.10 avg rating — 126 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
3.95 avg rating — 7,678 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
4.12 avg rating — 82 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
3.97 avg rating — 8,373 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
3.73 avg rating — 604 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
4.14 avg rating — 510 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
3.61 avg rating — 3,102 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
3.86 avg rating — 63 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
3.54 avg rating — 2,601 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
3.97 avg rating — 2,925 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.82 avg rating — 1,534 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.78 avg rating — 9 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.71 avg rating — 1,141 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.82 avg rating — 94 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.63 avg rating — 522 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.12 avg rating — 123 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.91 avg rating — 1,594 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.77 avg rating — 21,662 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.10 avg rating — 44,704 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
2.64 avg rating — 14 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.25 avg rating — 482 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.62 avg rating — 469 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.29 avg rating — 340 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.97 avg rating — 206,681 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
3.75 avg rating — 2,835 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.14 avg rating — 128,778 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.20 avg rating — 1,710 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.20 avg rating — 44 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.07 avg rating — 12,153 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
3.59 avg rating — 1,457 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
3.52 avg rating — 172 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.50 avg rating — 169 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.12 avg rating — 1,181 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.94 avg rating — 331 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.75 avg rating — 6,811 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
4.28 avg rating — 92 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
4.29 avg rating — 209,548 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.64 avg rating — 1,526 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
4.09 avg rating — 44,935 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.90 avg rating — 4,060 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.70 avg rating — 60 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.82 avg rating — 213 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
4.05 avg rating — 3,506 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.87 avg rating — 362 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.94 avg rating — 1,109 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.61 avg rating — 44,165 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.57 avg rating — 56 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
4.02 avg rating — 868 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
3.85 avg rating — 53,334 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
3.57 avg rating — 44 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
3.69 avg rating — 229 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
3.29 avg rating — 7 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
3.70 avg rating — 146,071 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.05 avg rating — 17,632 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
3.93 avg rating — 182 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
3.77 avg rating — 282 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
3.84 avg rating — 5,876 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 29 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
3.63 avg rating — 63 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
4.05 avg rating — 19 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
3.93 avg rating — 1,018 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
4.40 avg rating — 5 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
4.28 avg rating — 181 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
4.28 avg rating — 92 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
3.79 avg rating — 135 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
4.15 avg rating — 13 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
3.65 avg rating — 48 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 6 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
3.78 avg rating — 116 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
3.87 avg rating — 218 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
4.12 avg rating — 17 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
111 books · 74 voters · list created July 19th, 2010 by Meaghan (votes) .
37 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Meaghan 4648 books
355 friends
Laura 2842 books
75 friends
Sophie 199431 books
131 friends
Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) 546 books
365 friends
Sarah 2288 books
49 friends
Tay 0 books
0 friends
Jessica 450 books
72 friends
Catherine 1803 books
292 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-7 of 7 (7 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Meaghan (new)

Meaghan Do NOT add "Speak" to this list. The protagonist in the story did NOT suffer from selective mutism. Although she was deeply traumatized and didn't talk much, she spoke when spoken to.


message 2: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Feb 09, 2015 02:01AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) I noticed both The Poisonwood Bible and The House of the Spirits on this list, and even though I can't remember the selective mutism in either exactly (vaguely rang a bell but it's a long time ago since I've read the books), I've voted for those two books.


message 3: by Meaghan (new)

Meaghan Never read either of those, so I can't say myself.


message 4: by Marie (new)

Marie I am looking for a book I recently spotted. I can't remember the name. IRC the blurb said it was about a girl who hadn't spoken for a few years following a tragedy. The male MC was an athlete of some sort who was also dealing with something regarding his father. They were at some kind of party and he told her all his thoughts and then she spoke (I think)?


message 5: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Apr 12, 2015 03:40AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) Booklovinglady wrote: "I noticed both The Poisonwood Bible and The House of the Spirits on this list, and even though I can't remember the selective mutism in either exactly (vaguely rang a bell..."

I remember who wasn't speaking in The Poisonwood Bible: One of the daughters.
And I remembered another book as well, Scented Gardens For The Blind...


message 6: by Debbie (new)

Debbie There's a new book out, to add to this list - The Thing about Jellyfish, by Ali Benjamin.


Ferdinand Balcita This list reinforces the myth that Selective Mutism is caused by trauma. There are actually very few in this list that correctly portray SM. Check this blog post for a more accurate list.


back to top



Related News

Now here’s an interesting stack of books…   To honor the conclusion of the first quarter of the new century, we’ve ventured deep into the...

Anyone can add books to this list.