This book resonated strongly with me. I haven't read any books involving hearing loss before and the author did an excellent job portraying a young girl navigating the world around her. The omission of words in the text definitely captured Rayne's difficulty of hearing. When she and her parents disagreed on whether she should get surgery to improve her chances of hearing, I understood and emphasized with both sides. I would be just as scared of a major operation being performed to my ears, but also understand why her parents pushed so hard for her to get implants.

Ultimately, Rayne wants her parents to really hear her. There's a scene with Rayne and her parents that really moved me and got me teary. If you read it you'll feel it's power. I highly recommend this book! 5/5

What a beautiful book. This is an own voices story about Rayne who is losing her hearing. Her parents want her to get cochlear implants, but she doesn’t want to and they are not listening to her. It’s also a story of acceptance of yourself and by other people. The author uses an interesting technique to try to replicate Rayne’s loss of hearing that I thought was very successful from a reader’s perspective.

Thank you NetGalley and Lerner/Carolrholda for the eARC of this book.

5/5 stars

Hear Me is about a 12 year old girl experiencing hearing loss at a rapid rate. I was drawn to the book because my own teenage daughter was born with hearing loss. She has struggled with image with her peer groups, just wanting to be "normal," so I could totally relate to the main character, Rayne. I think this is would be a good book for classmates to read to have a better understanding of students with hearing loss.

Rayne is losing her hearing. She’s grappling with not wanting her parents or friends to know how bad her hearing is as she doesn’t want people to treat her differently. Throughout the book, she’s struggling with no one knowing how hard it is for her. Her parents think that cochlear implants are the ‘fix’ for her deafness, and want her to undergo surgery.

With how the book is written, (words being asterisks when Rayne can’t understand/hear them) it’s so easy to put yourself in her shoes. You get as frustrated as she does when someone talks to her without facing her, or when someone is speaking too quietly.

I liked how as Rayne is researching the implants or when she is looking at deaf community blogs we get to hear so many perspectives. It was very informational for someone like me who didn’t know much about cochlear implants before this book. It was also interesting to hear everyone’s different thoughts about being deaf in general. I think it was really refreshing to have something not stick to one stereotype of what all deaf people must think or feel.

The ending felt like the perfect way to wrap up the book. You can tell how much all the characters have grown and maybe don’t feel the same way as they might have at the beginning of the book.

~I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review~

What a beautiful and important story this book tells. The author uses her own experience with hearing loss to tell the story of twelve year old Rayne, whose hearing is deteriorating. The struggle between Rayne and her parents about cochlear implants really made me think about the difficulty in making medical decisions for a minor. I absolutely loved the use of asterisks to denote words that Rayne had trouble hearing; it really makes you focus and put yourself in the shoes of the character. This is a very well written and relatable middle grade novel.

Rayne is quickly losing her hearing. That would be tough for anyone but particularly for a seventh grader navigating through the middle school years. Rayne tells everyone – even herself – that she is fine, but she is lying. She can not come to grips with her lack of hearing. She is tired of her parents trying to fix her without listening to what she wants and decides to take matters into her own hands. O’Malley Cerra has done a great job of capturing the twelve-year-old psyche and her actions and reactions are so believable. Even though her decisions are often not the best, they are typical of those made by the middle grade set when faced with what in their minds is the most important problem or circumstance of their lives. The use of *** in dialogue to show words Rayne misses when someone speaks to her was masterful. Sometimes it was easy to figure out, sometimes not. I could totally empathize with what Rayne went through on a daily basis. As I read, I cringed, I laughed. I cried. But in the end I was so proud of Rayne finally figuring out who she was and realizing that was enough. Thanks to Netgalley and Carolrhoda Books/Lerner Publishing for giving me and advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended.

“Hearing loss is just that, a loss. It can be just as traumatic as losing a loved one or a pet, and it takes time to move on. So I wonder, have you all really given yourselves, and especially Rayne, enough time to grieve her loss?“
——
“Do you ever wish you could hear?”
“I can hear. I just listen differently than you.”

As someone who works and volunteers in the deaf community, I’m always eager to read books featuring deaf and hard of hearing (HOH) characters. This book is about 12 y/o Rayne who is struggling to accept her hearing loss. She uses hearing aids, but still misses a lot and is trying to fake it the best she can. She doesn’t want to stand out as different. She doesn’t want kids to make fun of her. And she doesn’t want to give her parents anymore reason encourage her to get cochlear implants (CIs), which she’s terrified of doing.

WHAT I LIKED:
I like how the author used asterisks in the dialogue to convey how Rayne hears/lip reads people’s speech. Here’s an example:

“My mom dropped me *** while she’s *** errands. *** debating *** online *** opportunity, *** this *** where I *** my best thinking.”

Some of the sentences you can easily piece together with the omitted words. Others are more challenging, and Rayne has to try and figure out what is being said. It really lets the reader feel her frustrations and get an idea of what it’s like for a hard of hearing person to live in a hearing world.

I also thought the author did a good job of portraying the different situations of the deaf community. Like the opening quotes, many like being deaf and are proud of it. Others, like Rayne, struggle with their situation. She also showed the different communication methods for deaf without indicating any one as a clear right or wrong option. CIs can be a very divisive topic in the deaf community so I was curious what direction the book would go in the end. I think she did a good job portraying that what one family chooses, another may not, and what works for one doesn’t work for everyone. We meet people who have CIs and like them, those who have them and don’t, those who are fully deaf and use ASL, and those who know sign language and have a CI.

I also really appreciate how Rayne’s parents were portrayed. In my work, I’ve seen parents who think CIs are the only option, or that it’s an automatic “fix” for their child. Others send their kids to a deaf school where they are immersed in ASL, but the parents don’t try to learn it themselves and therefore are unable to communicate with their kids. So even though Rayne’s parents were pushing CIs in the beginning, I like that they were clearly doing research and exploring different options. Though Rayne and her strongly parents disagree, it’s clear they’re doing what they do out of love and concern for their daughter who is retreating into herself. In the end, they all realize it’s not about whether or not she can hear but about her being comfortable and accepting who she is, and realizing she can still be herself whether she’s deaf or hearing, CI or not.

WHAT I WASN’T CRAZY ABOUT:
While you most definitely feel for Rayne, I wasn’t a huge fan of how she acts towards her parents at times. She’s not a smart-alecky brat but she does things behind their back and lies to them (and her friends.) She acts out of desperation, because she’s so terrified about undergoing the CI surgery she’s determined to avoid it. The book doesn’t necessarily glorify her behavior—she’s miserable the whole time she does it and she realizes the folly of her actions in the end. However, it was these actions that in a round-about way led to the resolution of the book. I just wished that was a little different.

She also talks about how her and a boy are “officially dating” at 12 years old. I mean, the little relationship between these two was super sweet and cute and is a side aspect to the main plot but to have a 12 year old as “dating” was a little weird for me.

Bottom line: Adults and kids alike can learn from this book. Young readers struggling with hearing loss and their parents will empathize with Rayne’s story. And those who aren’t will gain some insight into the deaf and HOH community.

Content: Clean.

I think this is the first book I have read in first person with someone who is deaf or going deaf. I loved this book so much! The author puts your right into the main character’s shoes with missing words in dialogue as she tries to guess at words she has missed. If you ever want to *feel* how hearing friendly the world is designed, read this book.

SPOILERS NEXT

At first I wasn’t sure how to take Rayne’s internal dialogue about her shame in being deaf in the beginning of the book bc most deaf people I know are very proud of how they saw the world. But I loved how the ending showed her progression toward her own acceptance of her condition and the emotional process behind getting to that point. I loved the progression of her family dynamic, going from insistent that Rayne gets cochlear implants, to understanding her fears about getting them and working with the idea that they needed to all come together to arrive at a decision regarding how to move forward with her hearing loss.

All in all, this book is wonderful for anyone curious about hearing loss and understanding about aspects in the world that are ableist. I also loved the adorable first love plot line and the loyal and supportive friends Rayne has. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc copy, I enjoyed and appreciated every moment in this book!

I received a free digital copy of "Hear Me" by Kerry O'Malley Cerra in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Kerry O'Malley Cerra's middle grade novel "Hear Me" follows the challenges faced by Rayne as she comes to terms with her hearing loss. Rayne has high expectations to fill: straight As, and her upcoming re-election as 7th grade student body president. But with her grades slipping and hearing deteriorating, Rayne feels as though it's not only her hearing that's slipping away, but a big piece of her identity. To "fix" her hearing and give Rayne a chance at a "normal" life, her parents sign her up as a candidate for cochlear implants. Rayne is against the surgery and wants to explore other options. Rayne doesn't feel heard by her parents, especially concerning decisions about her own ears. To blow off steam, she surfs off the Florida coast; it's one of the few places she can still make decisions for herself. But Rayne's hearing difficultly also means balance problems, and when she falls off her board and into the waves, she wonders what she would do if she lost surfing too.

"Hear Me" is told from Rayne's point of view. Rayne's dialog is always clear and exact. To convey how much Rayne pieces together on her own, O'Malley Cerra replaces undeciphered words with asterisks. This asks the reader to do some piecing together themselves. From this, the reader can better sympathize with Rayne and feel her frustration, disappointment, and joy. The narrative voice is believable as a 7th grade girl with realistic interests, desires, and impulses too. In the ending author's note, Kerry O'Malley Cerra describes her own journey with hearing loss and how her understandings changed as she wrote Rayne's journey.

I would highly recommend this book to any middle grade reader. I would place the reading difficulty at upper elementary level, but the conflict can be heavy at times. Rayne is a character that I believe many readers would relate to, with or without hearing loss. "Hear Me" is an opportunity for readers to see themselves represented as a main character, or provide a window into someone else's world.

Hear Me
by Kerry O'Malley Cerra
Pub Date 06 Sep 2022
Lerner Publishing Group, Carolrhoda Books ®
Children's Fiction | Middle Grade


I am reviewing a copy of Hear Me through Lerner Publishing Group, Carolrhoda Books and Netgalley:



A year after being diagnosed with hearing loss, Rayne’s hearing is rapidly deteriorating, she struggles even with her hearing aids, she has trouble maintaining friendships and keeping up in school surfing is now a wipeout, and she can't understand her favorite singer's lyrics. But worst of all, Rayne's parents are pushing for her to get cochlear implants, a surgery Rayne's not convinced is worth the risks and challenges.



Rayne does her best to convince even to beg her parents to get another option, but they won’t budge. With surgery looming Rayne sets off on a bus journey in search of alternatives—and discovers that even though her ears may be broken, she is not.





A powerful and compelling book.


I give Hear Me five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

I don't usually read middle-grade, but am familiar with this author and her personal struggles, so was very interested in reading this book. Rayne is a beautiful character. Cerra really nails the issues that hard-of-hearing students experience in a hearing world. I loved how Rayne fought so valiantly against her parents wanting to railroad her into cochlear implants. Music is something very important to Rayne, and she can't imagine never hearing it "properly" again if she has the surgery. Cerra paces this book perfectly with the escalation of Rayne's distress over her dwindling ability to hear and the pressure from her parents to "fix" it. The voice is perfect, the characters interesting, and I would highly recommend this book to anyone, even if you're not a middle-grade reader. It's relatable no matter what your age.

This is the story of 12 year old Rayne, who, in the last year has experienced substantial hearing loss. She struggles to hear her friends, family and teachers. As a result her grades and relationships have begun to suffer. Raven can read lips pretty well and so she is managing. But the decline is rapid. Her parents have conducted a lot of research and consulted with professionals and are adamant that she get Cochlear implants, a kind of permanent hearing aid. THEY feel the implants will help her to not fall behind in school or pull away from her friends more than already is happening. Rayne sees it quite the opposite.

Rayne is adamant that she’s not ready for this radical move. She wants to explore all her other options, especially new scientific breakthroughs in stem cell research. Her parents just won’t listen to her and surgery is scheduled. Taking matters into her own hands, Rayne runs off and tries to prove that stem cells are worth it, but along the way, she discovers something that might be even better, for new life, and her parents. When Rayne is on her own and trying to navigate the transportation system and the city with impaired hearing, I felt quite anxious for her welfare.
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This is a story of learning to love oneself and self discovery, because even if those around you truly and unconditionally love you, it can be hard to see yourself in that same positive light. Especially when viewpoints differ.

The writer gives the reader a glimpse into the world of the hearing Impaired by replacing some conversation words with asterisks. These such words are ones with softer sounds as s, sh, th, n and m harder for the hearing impaired to interpret. I found it frustrating but also revealing.

Hear Me is a powerful story about a young girl, Rayne, experiencing hearing loss. Her parents feel that cochlear implants offer her the best opportunity at having a "normal" life, but Rayne is hesitant to jump into surgery. Cerra does an incredible job of showcasing the difficulty in dealing with hearing loss and deciding on what path to pursue. Rayne is really wonderfully portrayed, and she has so much nuance and character which can be difficult to portray in younger characters.

Cerra clearly put so much thought into this book and the way to show Rayne's hearing loss, as is shown in the author's note, and it was so wonderful to see that depth done easily and masterfully. The incorporation of asterisks in dialogue to show what Rayne is missing was so clever, and I really liked how she showed all of the ways hearing loss impacts your life and how limiting it can feel even if others are trying to help you.

It was a wonderful read, and it is such a great option for a book to use in the classroom or for kids struggling with hearing loss or wanting to learn more about it.

Because of the Pondathon I’ve been reading a lot of different things. Whether it’s things that have been on my TBR and I just haven’t gotten around to them, or things I’ve actually never heard of and stumbled across, it’s been a productive and more diverse than usual year so far.

I don’t think I’ve ever actually read a book with a deaf / Deaf or hard of hearing character. Not for lack of wanting to, but just not being able to find one. I stumbled upon this one on NetGalley and got really excited.

Hear Me follows 12 year old Rayne, who in the last year has experienced substantial hearing loss. She struggles to hear her friends, but she can read lips alright and is managing. However, her parents are adamant that she get Cochlear implants, a kind of permanent hearing aid, because they don’t want her to fall behind in school or pull away from her friends, things they are convinced are already happening.

Understandably, Rayne is reluctant. She wants to explore all her other options, especially new scientific breakthroughs in stem cell research. Desperate when her parents won’t listen to her, Rayne runs off and tries to prove that stem cells are worth it, but along the way, she discovers something that might be even better, for her new life, and her parents.

This is a middle grade book, and while I am trying to branch out and read more of them, at the same time, it’s hard for me to gauge what the books should read like. I’ve read some that seem overly juvenile, but this one reads kind of like a YA book. Rayne is very mature for a 12 year old, even if it’s to the point of naivety; there’s one part in the book where she believes by contacting a lawyer, she’ll be able to get out of the Cochlear surgery. Sure, while there are circumstances for children to receive medical emancipation (My Sister’s Keeper), Rayne didn’t wholly know what that entailed, let alone that lawyers won’t simply “take her case” for free.

Rayne might seem mature, but I know even young kids can experience depression, something that Rayne struggles with throughout the book. Her life is changing faster than she can adapt, or is allowed to adjust, and she feels like no one can hear her and what she wants. After losing your hearing, it must be doubly hard to feel like you’re losing your voice too.

I was kind of worried that there would be no middle ground in the book, and Cerra drives that point home very well. Rayne’s parents want the Cochlear, Rayne wants stem cells. It felt like there was no middle ground for the two to compromise with. However, the thing that was driving these two extremes was Rayne’s feeling like she was broken and everyone around her is trying to “fix” her. Once she starts to understand that there’s more to living than hearing, and that she can live just as wild, happy, and full a life without it, she starts to see new avenues that don’t include hearing at all.

I love to see the acceptance that Rayne grows into. But what stands out the most is how Rayne has to struggle to accept herself, but how those closest to her never seemed to have changed. They still love her, all they do now is look at her when they talk and enunciate more. This is a story of self love and self discovery, because even if those around you truly and unconditionally love you, it can be hard to see yourself in that same positive light.

Even for people who aren’t deaf / Deaf or hard of hearing, I think that’s a feeling that can resonate well with anyone; even when you don’t feel like you’re deserving of love, you are still so loved by those around you.

Cerra based a lot of Rayne’s story on her own personal struggle with hearing loss, and one thing I really admired was how Cerra conveyed that loss in her writing style. Often in dialogue, asterisks (***) would appear in place of words, demonstrating to the reader what hearing sounds like for Rayne. As she used context clues to further the conversation, we use context clues to fill in the missing words. But that doesn’t mean Rayne- or the reader- is always right.

Reading Hear Me was an amazing #OwnVoices read that really delved into the experience of hearing loss, struggling to accept yourself, and forging new paths for yourself.

Thank you Netgalley for a digital ARC!

I really liked this book and the writing! There are so many quotes I loved and I would definitely recommend this book to everyone!