Parents in our community often ask for book recommendations that feature characters who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). They want stories that their children can relate to, as well as themes and topics related to deafness and hearing loss. Below is a list of books recommended by DHH children, their parents, members of the Deaf community and others who love reading.If you have any recommendations for books you believe should be added to our list, please email us with the title and author at info@aussiedeafkids.org.au.
Click on the relevant categories below to explore these books.
C.I. Quest – by Tanya Saunders (2022) – [for 3-6 year-olds]
A Farmyard Heroes tale of cochlear implants lost and found on the farm (the young farmer has hearing loss), told through rhyming verse packed with ‘learning to listen’ animal sounds for early learners. “Oh no! The farmer has lost his speech processors! All the animals on the farm join the search… but who will be the first to find the devices and be crowned today’s Farmyard Hero?”
Elana’s Ears, or How I Became the Best Big Sister in the Whole World – by Gloria Lowell (2000) – [for 3-8 year-olds]
While Lacey goes through all of the confusion and upset that any child feels when presented with a new sister or brother, she eventually starts to like having baby Elana around, and even tries to teach her a favourite hobby: barking. But when Elana takes no notice of all the noise, Lacey realises that Elana can’t hear, and she vows to become “Elana’s ears”–and the best big sister in the world. With wry commentary, Lacey offers children a refreshingly honest and funny glimpse at parents, new babies, and growing toddlers. For parents, a comprehensive afterword by Jane Annunziata, PsyD, describes children’s common responses to new siblings and offers extensive how-to recommendations for making the adjustment as easy as possible.
Freddie and the Fairy – by Julia Donaldson (2018) – [for 3-5 year olds]
Freddie wants nothing more than a pet, so when the fairy Bessie-Belle offers to grant his wishes, he knows just what to ask for. But Bessie-Belle can’t hear very well and Freddie tends to mumble, which means the wishes aren’t turning out as planned! Whatever can they do? Luckily the Fairy Queen is on hand to help. Freddie and the Fairy is a delightfully witty, rhyming tale with a subtle message about miscommunication and advocacy.
Friends Together – by Tanya Saunders (2021) – [for 3-6 year-olds]
A Bear Buddies Learning Adventure Story: learn and practice early social language for making friends and playing together. With a cochlear-implant wearing central character, FRIENDS TOGETHER was initially written for deaf children learning to listen and speak but is equally suited to other 3-6 year olds who need a little extra language practice as they transition from home to a school environment.
Happy All Over – by Emma Quay (2024) – AUSTRALIAN Author and Illustrator- [from 3 years]
A celebration of the small joys to be found in the everyday. Children of all shapes, colours and sizes, including those wearing hearing aids and glasses, enjoy themselves: they dance, bounce, jump, spring, cuddle, huddle, lick, gurgle and more. Using rich rhyme, rhythm and repetition helps children develop early literacy skills and this book is a wonderful example.”
Ling Ling Bird Hears with Magic Ears – by Tanya Saunders (2020) – [for 0-3 year-olds]
Exploring fun ‘learning to listen’ sounds for early listeners. Ling Ling Bird Hears with his Magic Ears’ takes us on an exciting journey through the world of sound, designed to help build listening skills in young children in the early stages of learning to listen and speak. We accompany Ling Ling Bird, who is deaf and wears cochlear implants that help him to hear. Together we listen to what he hears with his super magic ears!
Ling Ling Bird: Who Am I? – by Tanya Saunders (2024) – [up to 5 years]
Encouraging early learners to practice new speech sounds and the ‘serve and return’ of conversation.Ling Ling Bird knows he’s a bird, but what kind of bird is he? He is determined to find out! Along the way, he not only encounters a dazzling array of other birds, but also a range of different speech sounds. He learns some new vocabulary and a critical skill for developing communication: two-way engagement. What fun it is too!
What the Jackdaw Saw – by Julia Donaldson (2015) – [for 3-6 year olds]
The jackdaw wants all his friends to come to his party, but when he calls out his invitation the animals just touch their heads. Why won’t they answer? And what do their actions mean? Luckily a brown owl can help him with the puzzle!
This book about sign language features Julia Donaldson’s famously wonderful rhymes and a catchy chorus. It was created by Julia in collaboration with a group of children from the charity Life and Deaf which helps deaf children to explore their identities through poetry, film, performance and art.
A Girl Like Ananya – by Karen Hardwicke (2021) – [for 6-8 year-olds]
The true life story of an inspirational girl who is deaf and wears cochlear implants. Ananya, who is profoundly deaf and wears cochlear implants but, like her hearing peers, has multi-identities. She is a daughter, a sister and a friend who likes playing Minecraft, sport and the piano! With its positive representation of deafness, ‘A Girl like Ananya’ will appeal to families of a deaf child as well as forming a valuable hearing loss awareness resource for mainstream schools with deaf pupils.
Bill and Hug – by Julianne Schmid (2018) – AUSTRALIAN Author – [for 4-9 year-olds]
A children’s book about two dragon’s who are hard of hearing. Being hard of hearing can be full of many challenges. These can include adapting to a hearing world in ways many of us take for granted. Learning to advocate for yourself by explaining these challenges is probably one of the biggest things any child with hearing loss will ever do; and parents new to hearing loss are learning this world themselves.
Dachy’s Deaf – by Jack Hughes (2013) – [for 8-12 year-olds]
Dachy wears a hearing aid. But sometimes, when his friends get too noisy, he likes to turn it off to get some peace and quiet. One day, when his hearing aid is off, Dachy falls asleep and ends up floating down the river towards a waterfall and a hungry crocodile. Can his friends rescue him in time?
El Deafo – by Cece Bell (2014) – [for 8-12 year-olds]
Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful – and very awkward – hearing aid. The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear – sometimes things she shouldn’t – but also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is. After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become “El Deafo, Listener for All.” And more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and find the friend she’s longed for.
Elana’s Ears, or How I Became the Best Big Sister in the Whole World – by Gloria Lowell (2000) – [for 3-8 year-olds]
While Lacey goes through all of the confusion and upset that any child feels when presented with a new sister or brother, she eventually starts to like having baby Elana around, and even tries to teach her a favourite hobby: barking. But when Elana takes no notice of all the noise, Lacey realises that Elana can’t hear, and she vows to become “Elana’s ears”–and the best big sister in the world. With wry commentary, Lacey offers children a refreshingly honest and funny glimpse at parents, new babies, and growing toddlers. For parents, a comprehensive afterword by Jane Annunziata, PsyD, describes children’s common responses to new siblings and offers extensive how-to recommendations for making the adjustment as easy as possible.
Jack Signs! – by Karen Hardwicke (2022) – ASL/BSL – [for 4-8 year-olds]
The heart-warming tale of a little boy who is deaf, wears hearing aids and discovers the magic of sign language – based on a true story! Also in the series:
Jasper’s Tale – by Karen Hardwicke (2022) – [for 5-8 year olds]
How one cheeky puppy discovers he likes his hearing aids after all! Jasper is a puppy that is deaf. Despite his moulds having bones on them, he does not like his hearing aids… You wouldn’t believe where he hides them and what he does to avoid wearing them! Then one day, he gives himself a fright by rushing headlong into the street. Surrounded by angry drivers and honking car horns (which he can’t hear because he’s buried his hearing aids in the garden!), he is rescued by Mummy and decides that, after all, his life is more fun – and safer – with his hearing aids on!
Ling Ling Bird Seen and Heard – by Tanya Saunders – [for 6-8 year-olds]
Larger-than-life Ling Ling Bird forms an unlikely bond with tiny wee Chickadee in this uplifting tale of discovery, friendship and acceptance. While Chickadee gains a fascinating insight into the world of her dazzling new buddy who is deaf, Ling Ling Bird learns that being different does not prevent him forming special friendships. This vibrant and inspiring story encourages deaf children to aim high, while acknowledging the hard work it takes to learn to listen and speak. The book uses ambitious language, which makes it ideal for family reading and for younger listeners to learn some of the terminology associated with hearing loss and hearing technology.
Listen – by Shannon Stocker (2022) – [for 6-8 year-olds]
This inspiring picture book tells the true story of world-famous deaf percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie. From the moment Evelyn heard her first note, music held her heart. She played the piano by ear at age eight, and the clarinet by age ten. But soon, the nerves in her ears began to deteriorate, and Evelyn was told that, as a deaf girl, she could never be a musician. What sounds Evelyn couldn’thear with her ears, though, she could feel resonate through her body as if she, herself, were a drum. And the music she created was extraordinary. Evelyn Glennie had learned how to listen in a new way. And soon, the world was listening too.
Rally Caps – by Stephen J. and Jodi Michelle Cutler (2020) – [for 7-18 year-olds]
Rally Caps is a humorous, fun-filled baseball and camp story. Ten year old Jordan is injured in an unfortunate and frightening accident while trying out for the youth travel team. Recovery is difficult. At summer camp he struggles to conquer his anxiety and fear in order to return to his beloved game of baseball. He forms a friendship with a Deaf Italian boy, Luca, who wears a cochlear implant. Luca’s compelling positive “Anything is Possible” attitude, along with the inspiration he draws from his idol, Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., gives Jordan the courage to return to baseball with a passion. Find out what happens as “rally caps” are raised in the bottom of the final inning in the biggest game of Jordan’s life. Boys and girls alike will enjoy this touching story of persevering through difficult times.
Some Fairies Wear Hearing Aids – by Penny Gill (2023) – [for 5-8 year-olds]
A magical story for children with hearing aids or cochlear implants, their friends, classmates and families. A magical story for children with hearing aids or cochlear implants, their friends, classmates and families… Piper and Paige are best friends – you might even say they are two peas in a pod! These clever girls are both deaf, use listening technology, and are always ready for adventure. When they decide to build fairy houses, they are in for a big surprise!
The Beehive – by Megan Daley (2024) – [for 5-10 year-olds]
The Beehive is a hybrid of fiction and non-fiction. The illustrations include a boy with a cochlear implant but this is not the key focus. On the first page, readers are introduced to Willow, a schoolgirl, whose favourite creatures are the native stingless bee. We also start to be drip-fed facts about bees, but in a different font to show that it is not part of the story. The narrative continues and we meet the school groundskeeper who monitors the school hives and knows everything about bees. The central focus is about how, when, and why they split the hive, which allows Willow to take home a hive box for her backyard.
Uh Oh… Phew! – by Tanya Saunders (2022) – [for 5-8 year-olds]
A Bear Buddies Learning Adventure Trilogy: 3 fun-filled social stories about helping others, self-advocacy / helping yourself and, after a speech processor is lost and found, discovering how cochlear implants work. Focused on the transitional period when their world expands beyond the home to a school environment and other wider social settings, these charming, simple stories about a group of young friends navigating familiar childhood scenarios help children to learn and practice early social language, playground etiquette, self-advocacy and other skills that they will need in order to thrive at school, in the playground and on playdates in each other’s houses.
Future Girl – by Asphyxia (2020) – AUSTRALIAN Author – [for Teens]
Future Girl explores what it means to come of age as a Deaf teenager, against the backdrop of a near-future Melbourne on the brink of environmental catastrophe. Piper’s mum wants her to be ‘normal’, to pass as hearing and get a good job. But when peak oil hits and Melbourne lurches towards environmental catastrophe, Piper has more important things to worry about, such as how to get food. When she meets Marley, a CODA (child of Deaf adult), a door opens into a new world – where Deafness is something to celebrate rather than hide, and where resilience is created through growing your own food rather than it being delivered on a truck.
Rally Caps – by Stephen J. and Jodi Michelle Cutler (2020) – [for 7-18 year-olds]
Rally Caps is a humorous, fun-filled baseball and camp story. Ten year old Jordan is injured in an unfortunate and frightening accident while trying out for the youth travel team. Recovery is difficult. At summer camp he struggles to conquer his anxiety and fear in order to return to his beloved game of baseball. He forms a friendship with a Deaf Italian boy, Luca, who wears a cochlear implant. Luca’s compelling positive “Anything is Possible” attitude, along with the inspiration he draws from his idol, Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., gives Jordan the courage to return to baseball with a passion. Find out what happens as “rally caps” are raised in the bottom of the final inning in the biggest game of Jordan’s life. Boys and girls alike will enjoy this touching story of persevering through difficult times.
Resurrection Bay – by Emma Viskic (2017) – AUSTRALIAN Author – [from young adult]
Caleb Zelic may be deaf, but he knows how to read people better than anyone. When his childhood friend is brutally murdered while helping him on an insurance case, Caleb vows to find the killer. But he can’t do it alone. Caleb and his business partner Frankie, an ex-cop, start with one clue: Scott, the last word the victim texted to Caleb. But chasing the elusive Scott leads them back to Caleb’s hometown of Resurrection Bay. And it’s here he learns that everyone – including his murdered friend – is hiding something. And the deeper he digs, the darker the secrets…
Other books in the Caleb Zelic series:
The Deaf Girl – by Abigail Heringer (2024) – [for young adults]
An inspiring story of hearing loss and hope from The Bachelor’s first deaf contestant. Growing up deaf and introverted, she dreaded being the centre of attention, fearing her disability would burden those around her. Among her hearing peers, she felt like an outsider, simply labeled as “the deaf girl.” And after receiving a cochlear implant at the age of two, she subsequently struggled to find her place in the Deaf community too. Caught in between two worlds and grappling to define her identity as a deaf woman, Abigail felt like she belonged in neither. Throughout her journey, marked by challenges and adversity, Abigail has grown into her own strongest advocate, discovering a new voice that is confident, fearless, and empowered—a voice that enables her to proudly reclaim the title of “the deaf girl” she once resisted and rewrite it as a testament to her resilience and strength.
Deafening – by Frances Itani (2003)
Grania is a little girl growing up in southern Ontario in the early years of the 20th century, who is struck deaf by scarlet fever at the age of five.
It’s also the story of Jim, her hearing husband who, shortly after their honeymoon, leaves to play his part in the Great War in Europe. Itani’s theme throughout this quietly lovely novel is the complexity of sound and silence and how they can be both blessing and curse to the humans who experience them.
Hearing Maud – by Jessica White (2019) – AUSTRALIAN Author
Hearing Maud: A Journey for a Voice is a work of creative non-fiction that details the author’s experiences of deafness after losing most of her hearing at age four. It charts how, as she grew up, she was estranged from people and turned to reading and writing for solace, eventually establishing a career as a writer.
Central to her narrative is the story of Maud Praed, the deaf daughter of 19th century Queensland expatriate novelist Rosa Praed. Although Maud was deaf from infancy, she was educated at a school which taught her to speak rather than sign, a mode difficult for someone with little hearing. The breakup of Maud’s family destabilised her mental health and at age twenty-eight she was admitted to an asylum, where she stayed until she died almost forty years later. It was through uncovering Maud’s story that the author began to understand her own experiences of deafness and how they contributed to her emotional landscape, relationships and career.
Seeing Voices – by Oliver Sacks (1989)
In Seeing Voices, Neurologist, Dr. Sacks launches a journey into the world of Deaf culture, and the neurological and social underpinnings of the remarkable visual language of the congenitally deaf. This imaginative and insightful book offers a way into a world that is, for many people, alien and unfamiliar – for to be profoundly deaf is not just to live in a world of silence, but also to live in a world where the visual is paramount. Sacks explores the consequences of this, including the different ways in which the deaf and the hearing impaired learn to categorise their respective worlds – and how they convey and communicate those experiences to others.
The Beautiful Risk – by Lynn Hightower (2023)
Her husband died in a plane crash on Mount Blanc. It was a tragic accident.
These are the simple facts.
Except someone’s not telling the truth . . . It is a story of grief, of a dangerous mountain with a dark history, of corruption and greed, of ecoterrorism . . . and of a vulnerable woman with hearing loss, an injured dog and a broken heart, who’ll stop at nothing to uncover the truth.
Voices of Hope – collated by Estelle Gerrett (2024)
Through frank personal accounts, thirteen families share the challenges and joy of teaching their profoundly deaf children to listen (with cochlear implants) and to speak. Each journey is different, reflecting the diversity of deafness, and the families’ different cultures and aspirations for their children. The families describe what it was like at the start, when they did not know what the future held for their children or what might be possible, and how far they have come since those fraught early days. As a resource for newly diagnosed families, and the professionals who support them, this book is both inspiring and reassuring, whilst being open and honest about the obstacles faced along the way.
A Girl Like Ananya – by Karen Hardwicke (2021) – [for 6-8 year-olds]
The true life story of an inspirational girl who is deaf and wears cochlear implants. Ananya, who is profoundly deaf and wears cochlear implants but, like her hearing peers, has multi-identities. She is a daughter, a sister and a friend who likes playing Minecraft, sport and the piano! With its positive representation of deafness, ‘A Girl like Ananya’ will appeal to families of a deaf child as well as forming a valuable hearing loss awareness resource for mainstream schools with deaf pupils.
C.I. Quest – by Tanya Saunders (2022) – [for 3-6 year-olds]
A Farmyard Heroes tale of cochlear implants lost and found on the farm (the young farmer has hearing loss), told through rhyming verse packed with ‘learning to listen’ animal sounds for early learners. “Oh no! The farmer has lost his speech processors! All the animals on the farm join the search… but who will be the first to find the devices and be crowned today’s Farmyard Hero?”
Friends Together – by Tanya Saunders (2021) – [for 3-6 year-olds]
A Bear Buddies Learning Adventure Story: learn and practice early social language for making friends and playing together. With a cochlear-implant wearing central character, FRIENDS TOGETHER was initially written for deaf children learning to listen and speak but is equally suited to other 3-6 year olds who need a little extra language practice as they transition from home to a school environment.
Ling Ling Bird Hears with Magic Ears – by Tanya Saunders (2020) – [for 0-3 year-olds]
Exploring fun ‘learning to listen’ sounds for early listeners. Ling Ling Bird Hears with his Magic Ears’ takes us on an exciting journey through the world of sound, designed to help build listening skills in young children in the early stages of learning to listen and speak. We accompany Ling Ling Bird, who is deaf and wears cochlear implants that help him to hear. Together we listen to what he hears with his super magic ears!
Ling Ling Bird: Who Am I? – by Tanya Saunders (2024) – [up to 5 years]
Encouraging early learners to practice new speech sounds and the ‘serve and return’ of conversation.Ling Ling Bird knows he’s a bird, but what kind of bird is he? He is determined to find out! Along the way, he not only encounters a dazzling array of other birds, but also a range of different speech sounds. He learns some new vocabulary and a critical skill for developing communication: two-way engagement. What fun it is too!
Mighty Mila – by Kate Petruzziello (2021) – [for all children]
This book is a fantastic option for children, parents, and educators alike because it not only celebrates diversity but also promotes essential values like resilience, inclusivity, and self-acceptance. Through Mila’s story, readers gain insight into the d/Deaf community and the boundless potential that lies within every child, regardless of their hearing abilities. This book serves as both a source of inspiration and a catalyst for important conversations about embracing differences, making it an excellent addition to any child’s library.
Rally Caps – by Stephen J. and Jodi Michelle Cutler (2020) – [for 7-18 year-olds]
Rally Caps is a humorous, fun-filled baseball and camp story. Ten year old Jordan is injured in an unfortunate and frightening accident while trying out for the youth travel team. Recovery is difficult. At summer camp he struggles to conquer his anxiety and fear in order to return to his beloved game of baseball. He forms a friendship with a Deaf Italian boy, Luca, who wears a cochlear implant. Luca’s compelling positive “Anything is Possible” attitude, along with the inspiration he draws from his idol, Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., gives Jordan the courage to return to baseball with a passion. Find out what happens as “rally caps” are raised in the bottom of the final inning in the biggest game of Jordan’s life. Boys and girls alike will enjoy this touching story of persevering through difficult times.
The Cochlear Kids: Liam the Superhero – by Heidi Dredge (2015) – AUSTRALIAN Author – [for 2-17 year-olds]
In rhyming verse Heidi the author introduces little Liam who enjoys dressing up as a comic book hero and playing with his friends. However, he ‘already has an extra special power … Liam has cochlear implants.’ The story then illustrates and describes the device and its role in Liam’s daily activity. His disability is significantly reduced by the implant thus enabling him to have a relatively normal life ‘so thankful for all the sounds he hears.’ For any child facing the prospect of cochlear implants Liam the Superhero is undoubtedly a very reassuring and inspirational book. It also is potentially helpful in informing friends and classmates of children with implants about the function of the devices.
Uh Oh… Phew! – by Tanya Saunders (2022) – [for 5-8 year-olds]
A Bear Buddies Learning Adventure Trilogy: 3 fun-filled social stories about helping others, self-advocacy / helping yourself and, after a speech processor is lost and found, discovering how cochlear implants work. Focused on the transitional period when their world expands beyond the home to a school environment and other wider social settings, these charming, simple stories about a group of young friends navigating familiar childhood scenarios help children to learn and practice early social language, playground etiquette, self-advocacy and other skills that they will need in order to thrive at school, in the playground and on playdates in each other’s houses.
Bill and Hug – by Julianne Schmid (2018) – AUSTRALIAN Author – [for 4-9 year-olds]
A children’s book about two dragon’s who are hard of hearing. Being hard of hearing can be full of many challenges. These can include adapting to a hearing world in ways many of us take for granted. Learning to advocate for yourself by explaining these challenges is probably one of the biggest things any child with hearing loss will ever do; and parents new to hearing loss are learning this world themselves.
Dachy’s Deaf – by Jack Hughes (2013) – [for 8-12 year-olds]
Dachy wears a hearing aid. But sometimes, when his friends get too noisy, he likes to turn it off to get some peace and quiet. One day, when his hearing aid is off, Dachy falls asleep and ends up floating down the river towards a waterfall and a hungry crocodile. Can his friends rescue him in time?
El Deafo – by Cece Bell (2014) – [for 8-12 year-olds]
Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful – and very awkward – hearing aid. The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear – sometimes things she shouldn’t – but also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is. After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become “El Deafo, Listener for All.” And more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and find the friend she’s longed for.
Freddie and the Fairy – by Julia Donaldson (2018) – [for 3-5 year olds]
Freddie wants nothing more than a pet, so when the fairy Bessie-Belle offers to grant his wishes, he knows just what to ask for. But Bessie-Belle can’t hear very well and Freddie tends to mumble, which means the wishes aren’t turning out as planned! Whatever can they do? Luckily the Fairy Queen is on hand to help. Freddie and the Fairy is a delightfully witty, rhyming tale with a subtle message about miscommunication and advocacy.
Happy All Over – by Emma Quay (2024) – AUSTRALIAN Author and Illustrator- [from 3 years]
A celebration of the small joys to be found in the everyday. Children of all shapes, colours and sizes, including those wearing hearing aids and glasses, enjoy themselves: they dance, bounce, jump, spring, cuddle, huddle, lick, gurgle and more. Using rich rhyme, rhythm and repetition helps children develop early literacy skills and this book is a wonderful example.”
Jack Signs! – by Karen Hardwicke (2022) – ASL/BSL – [for 4-8 year-olds]
The heart-warming tale of a little boy who is deaf, wears hearing aids and discovers the magic of sign language – based on a true story! Also in the series:
Jasper’s Tale – by Karen Hardwicke (2022) – [for 5-8 year olds]
How one cheeky puppy discovers he likes his hearing aids after all! Jasper is a puppy that is deaf. Despite his moulds having bones on them, he does not like his hearing aids… You wouldn’t believe where he hides them and what he does to avoid wearing them! Then one day, he gives himself a fright by rushing headlong into the street. Surrounded by angry drivers and honking car horns (which he can’t hear because he’s buried his hearing aids in the garden!), he is rescued by Mummy and decides that, after all, his life is more fun – and safer – with his hearing aids on!
Some Fairies Wear Hearing Aids – by Penny Gill (2023) – [for 5-8 year-olds]
A magical story for children with hearing aids or cochlear implants, their friends, classmates and families. A magical story for children with hearing aids or cochlear implants, their friends, classmates and families… Piper and Paige are best friends – you might even say they are two peas in a pod! These clever girls are both deaf, use listening technology, and are always ready for adventure. When they decide to build fairy houses, they are in for a big surprise!
Super Hearing – by Jennifer Whitehead (2022) – [For all ages]
Super Hearing is a celebration of life with hearing aids, here to educate and encourage acceptance in every form. A kind and inclusive story, this book combines a child’s first-person experience living with hearing aids, with beautiful illustrations to connect kids of all hearing ranges. The book fosters a sense of acceptance, empathy, and self-confidence, making it a wonderful choice for children, parents, and teachers alike.
A Visit to the Zoo – by Jen Blythe and Kerrie Walker (2017) – AUSTRALIAN Authors
A Visit To The Zoo is a story about Hannah, a little girl like any other, who wears a hearing aid and uses Auslan to communicate with her mum as they make their way around the zoo. Each page includes the typical written story and illustrations as well as the associated Auslan signs, meaning you can choose to read or sign your way from start to finish. There’s also a handy gallery of all the signs at the back of the book, perfect for practice after reading the book.
Boy – by Phil Cummings (2017) – AUSTRALIAN Author
Whilst the king and his knights fight the dragon with all their strength, the true empowerment comes in the form of a young, hearing-impaired boy who, with the power of communication, resolves the misconstrued conflict between them. Boy, the main character, connects with those around him using a variety of tools, including sign language (dancing hands), drawings, the written word, and a sense of emotion. It is these perceptive qualities that make him the perfect candidate for facilitating awareness, acceptance and community inclusion.
I Deaf-initely Can, Rhett the Heeler – by Karlie Waldrip (2024) – [for 0-18 year olds]
Follows the story of Rhett the Australian cattle dog who is deaf. Rhett shares his experiences at the animal shelter, meeting a deaf girl, being adopted, learning sign language (ASL), and showing the world that dogs who are deaf DEAF-INITELY CAN!
Jack Signs! – by Karen Hardwicke (2022) – ASL/BSL – [for 4-8 year-olds]
The heart-warming tale of a little boy who is deaf, wears hearing aids and discovers the magic of sign language – based on a true story! Also in the series:
The River of Silence – by Sarah Bertels (1990) – AUSTRALIAN Author – [Children]
The river is beautiful, it has silver foam, sweet water to drink and ripples that glitter but it has no sound. This did not worry the animals; they liked the peace of the quiet river. The river however was sad and tired of being silent. It longed to beat against the rocks and crash over waterfalls. It wanted to find its lost sound but which of its beauties would it need to sacrifice to gain that sound? The river decided to ask the animals what it should do. Sarah Bertels wrote this highly original picture book for her deaf son. The book’s poetic text flows as beautifully and peacefully as the river. The text is accompanied by signed English language pictograms which provide an illuminating dimension to this allegory about silence and the inability to communicate without sound.
What the Jackdaw Saw – by Julia Donaldson (2015) – [for 3-6 year olds]
The jackdaw wants all his friends to come to his party, but when he calls out his invitation the animals just touch their heads. Why won’t they answer? And what do their actions mean? Luckily a brown owl can help him with the puzzle!
This book about sign language features Julia Donaldson’s famously wonderful rhymes and a catchy chorus. It was created by Julia in collaboration with a group of children from the charity Life and Deaf which helps deaf children to explore their identities through poetry, film, performance and art.
Disclaimer: The information contained on this website is not intended as a substitute for independent professional advice.
