The Color of Silence

by Liane Shaw

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Pub Date Feb 01 2013 | Archive Date Nov 30 2015

Description

Alex is seventeen years old, and she feels her life has come to an end. After being involved in an accident that killed her best friend, she doesn't see why anyone would want her around. Sentenced to community service, she is assigned to spend time with Joanie, a severely disabled girl who is trapped in a body she can't control and seemingly unable to communicate. Alex comes to believe that maybe Joanie can be reached, and that together they can find a way to connect with the world around them—Alex from her self-imposed exile, and Joanie for the first time.

Joanie has been listening and watching as the world goes on around her for all of her seventeen years. But she is so full of words and thoughts and images that if she ever could figure out a way to let them loose, they would come swirling out in a torrent of syllables. She would fill every room with the colors of her dreams until the whole world became a rainbow of her making. If only she could figure out a way…

Advance Praise

"Told from alternating points of view, the book nicely balances the girls' perspectives by playing with their perceptions of reality, such as their initial reactions to one another and to hospital staff, showing that much of what they experience actually arises from their sense of self.... Shaw's attention to detail in describing Joanie's heightened awareness of her body and surroundings makes this an excellent resource for educators looking for a book focusing on a character with special needs." - Quill & Quire

"Just as she did in Fostergirls (Second Story Press, 2011)... Liane Shaw demonstrates that perspective is everything and nothing is the same for everyone" - CanLit for Little Canadians blog

"With no words between them, they build a friendship and connection that resonates and lets them express themselves louder than talking. The Color of Silence is a strong pick for youth novel collections, highly recommended." - The Midwest Book Review

"Sensitively written with amazing insight into the mind of a person with multiple challenges, as well as a teen who is suffering from trauma and guilt, this book will keep the reader enthralled until the very end." -Good News Toronto

"The story is a moving one and deals with many issues such as overcoming trauma and grief. Readers will not only sympathize with the characters, but will come to understand their personal conflicts on an emotional level. The character of Joanie is an especially interesting one as Shaw provides great insight into what it may be like to have a disability that is physically restrictive." - Resource Links

"Told from alternating points of view, the book nicely balances the girls' perspectives by playing with their perceptions of reality, such as their initial reactions to one another and to hospital...