Song of Summer

Robin Walsh is a deaf teenager who has never fully connected with the hearing world around her. During a summer break from her deaf boarding school, she meets Carter Birch at her family's local orchard stand in Vermont, where she works selling fruit and baked goods. The two teenagers grow closer despite their communication barriers, with Carter learning ASL to better understand Robin's world. Their summer romance faces challenges from family expectations, cultural differences between deaf and hearing communities, and their looming return to separate schools in the fall. The story centers on identity, belonging, and the nature of communication itself. Through Robin and Carter's relationship, the narrative explores how people can bridge divides and find understanding across different ways of experiencing the world.

Readers describe this YA romance as a light summer read with authentic representation of deaf culture and sign language. The book maintains a 3.77/5 rating on Goodreads from 580 ratings. Readers highlighted: - Accurate portrayal of hearing loss and cochlear implant experiences - Chemistry between main characters - Respectful handling of disability themes - Fast-paced storyline Common criticisms: - Predictable plot points - Underdeveloped secondary characters - Rushed ending - Some found the dialogue unrealistic for teens One reader noted: "The ASL details and deaf culture elements felt natural rather than forced educational moments." Another mentioned: "The romance moved too quickly to be believable." Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.77/5 (580 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (32 ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4/5 (5 ratings) BookBrowse: 3.5/5 (12 ratings)

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🎵 The main character Robin is a talented musician who is slowly losing her hearing due to a genetic condition called Stickler syndrome. 💕 Author Laura Lee Anderson drew inspiration from her experience working with deaf and hard-of-hearing children at summer camps. 🌟 The novel features accurate American Sign Language (ASL) dialogue and cultural references from the Deaf community. 🎸 The story explores how music can be experienced through vibrations and feelings, not just sound, highlighting a perspective rarely shown in young adult literature. 🎭 The book challenges stereotypes about deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals by portraying Robin as a complex character who refuses to be defined solely by her hearing status.