Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this as an ARC.

I'm torn on this. On the one hand, I commend the author for writing a whole novel for middle grade in verse. On the flip side, it is a lot of free verse.

The main character is supposed to be a child. I remember learning the basic poetic forms growing up with very little free verse involved. The whole point of the book being poetry is because she was told that she writes poetically. And sure, there are poetic moments, but free verse wasn't really taught in elementary and middle school. It was haikus, limericks, maybe the occasional sonnet, and different rhyme schemes like AABB and ABAB. I found reading all of this in free verse to be incredibly tiresome after a while, but I know I'd feel the same about reading everything in ABAB.

I really think there should've been some exploration of poetic styles within the story, and maybe Effie could've ventured from that and created her own mixture of form within the free verse. I write poetry myself, and enjoy sneaking a rhyme or two in when things are supposed to be impactful as they would then stand out immensely. And the opposite is true! Killing a rhyme can be incredibly dramatic. But nope. This is all free verse.

Ironically, one poem is called "Sign rhymes" about signs that look the same and how it's visual rhyming... I'm not sure Effie knows what rhyming is, especially if she's never heard how words are said, as she is deaf. One thing that could've been played with is "rhyming" the last couple of letters. Sure, "sign" and "fine" are great for those who can hear, but maybe Effie can't tell that. Maybe her rhymes could be "reign" and "sign."

And scrolling through, every poem even looks the same. Visual form is just as important. We learned about acrostics, concrete, and shape poems. There are so many interesting forms that we learn in elementary and middle school that could've really been played with! They don't even need to rhyme to be enjoyable.

However, Effie is learning about poetry as the story goes on. The only form she does within the story is one word per line (until the very last one). The problem I have with this ties into the previous paragraph: visual form is important. Effie is deaf so being visual is very important to her communication. The fact that visual form was never explored is almost disheartening.

Beyond the way the story was told, the content felt a lot like Matilda. I realize it was inspired by a real court case, including pulling quotes from the transcripts, but it felt very... Matilda-y. The main differences I've found were that 1. we see an actual legal process 2. her family dynamic is drastically different and 3. Miss Honey has been replaced by Miss Kathy and a teacher whose name I can't remember. And because it's based heavily on a real story, I feel like commenting on the content isn't fair to those who lived through what has been told.

Overall, the way the story was told really took me out of my enjoyment of the piece. Granted, I am a full adult, but I know little me wouldn't have liked this. I don't think 200 pages of free verse was the way to go about this. But Scholastic obviously disagreed so /insert shrug emoji here/

Absolutely breathtaking in its scope featuring a girl who doesn't know until a caretaker shows her that not being able to communicate with her via ASL or another language IS neglect. Effie has moved from her mother and stepfather's home into her alcoholic father's home with her older sister Deja. The reason she left her mother's home will be revealed in the story as is another heartbreaking reality of Effie situation and is handled with the grace that it should in a middle grade novel (similar to stories such as Fighting Words: or Maybe He Just Likes You).

Effie's new school year sees the return of Miss Kathy, her interpreter who notices right away that Effie's unwashed clothes, reluctance, and skittishness is an indicator of neglect only to also realize during a home visit that dad (like mom and stepdad) are unable to communicate even basic needs with one another because they never learned how to communicate. So Miss Kathy begins to press authorities to do something and Effie is able to see what love and support looks like be it from Miss Kathy to her new best friend who has CP and her own aide but has taken it upon herself to learn ASL.

The supportive friendship is just as significant as the story of her abuse/neglect and written in verse only levels-up the emotion. The only oddball piece was the deer- it seemed more of a distraction than necessity because I did like the "poetry" thread of the linguistics of ASL that even her English teacher saw and capitalized on.

A beautiful and poignant story in a small package. This was a meaningful story that I will certainly encourage my students to read. As an adult, I especially appreciated the author's note about the inspiration for her story. I would love to delve deeper into the actually case that inspired this lovely, little novel in verse.

This heartbreaking novel in verse demanded to be read in one sitting. Based on a true story, I was swept up by the tragic upbringing of a deaf girl whose family refused to communicate with her. Thank goodness for teachers with hearts of gold.

Wow. Effie’s story is powerful and strong. Great for anyone who can relate to Effie and anyone who wants to understand what it would be like to be Deaf. For every child who is without a champion, may your Miss Kathy be right around the corner.

I am not typically drawn to novels-in-verse but the cover for Deer Run Home was so gorgeous that I had to know more, and the blurb promised an emotional story arc that didn’t disappoint. Told from the point of view of Effie, an elementary school student who is Deaf, we learn about her struggles to communicate, abuse, and eventual found family and new friends. This novel highlights the power of having and sharing one’s voice.

Once I started reading, I couldn’t put the story down and finished it in one evening. Definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an insightful and emotional read, and will be recommending this book for our school library.

This is a beautiful story about finding a place to belong in a world that doesn't understand you.
Effie comes from a family where she isn't tested well and no one tries to learn ASL to communicate with her. Her sister Deja is the only one who really makes the effort to communicate with her. She is finally removed from her home situation into Miss Kathy's home who knows she deserves love and a place to feel wanted.
This is a beautiful novel in verse about letting your past off your chest to make way for a brighter future.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Y’all know I don’t give five stars easily. Novels in verse can go wrong quickly or can be really excellent- this is the latter. Effie is an immediately relatable character. She struggles with school work, especially math. Effie has some serious secrets, and struggles to know who to trust. All of us have some of these issues. Neglect, parental alcoholism, and molestation by a stepfather are presented here in a way that will speak to those who know, without terrifying those who don’t. The overarching message of the book is to speak up in whatever way you can. For Effie, it’s ASL, and ultimately poetry, both of which give her a voice in different ways. The importance of listening to each other is emphasized as well, particularly with regard to Effie and Cait’s friendship. I adore Cait, she’s a great friend. I love the motif of Golden Eyes. There’s so much to discuss here. An ideal classroom book. I’d pair it with Rez Dog (Bruchac) a/o The Red Pencil (Pinkeny).

A moving story of a young Deaf girl finding a new, safe home. Effie is growing up in two homes, both where she suffers abuse. None of her family members learn ASL to communicate with her, and she finds joy and relief when she can sign with the school’s assigned interpreter. Many people in Effie’s life have given up on her, and this story shows the power of a friend, and a teacher, to find the strength to tell your truth, as hard as it can be. Effie struggles with the standard school instruction methods, but finds a joy in poetry, both with writing and reading it, and in signing it as well. It made it all the more powerful to read this as a novel in verse.

I have read LeZotte’s historical novels, and once again she has broadened my understanding of this community and lived experience, and I appreciate her writing. I look forward to sharing this story with others in the library.

Note there are references to past sexual assault of the main character, and verbal abuse and neglect by her family.

Effie is a young deaf girl whose family has never bothered to learn American Sign Language so that they can communicate with her. This story takes place shortly after COVID when schools reopen. Effie relies heavily on her ASL interpreter at school, Miss Kathy. This is the one person in her life that understands her. Miss Kathy has a hunch that everything is not as it should be where Effie lives with her Dad so she takes the initiative to figure out what is going on. This is a beautiful novel in verse and heart wrenching story that follows Effie through learning to speak up and be a voice not only for herself but for others around her as well.

Excellent YA in verse. It has very intense topics. Not a lighthearted but very well written powerful novel.

Deer Run Home is a gripping novel in verse about Effie, a Deaf girl with very few allies in a hearing world. Effie's family does not learn sign and has no real way of communicating with her. Even her older sister, who is the only one making an effort, is angry at Effie for the fact that they have to move in with their alcoholic father (away from an abusive situation). There is one bright spot, Effie's translator, who sees the neglect level and fights for Effie's custody.

Throughout the story, Effie also bonds with Cait, a classmate with cerebral palsy. Cait learns ASL to better communicate with Effie, and the two team up against Cait's aide, who is overbearing.

LeZott handles the tough subjects with a deft hand. If the book has one weakness, it's that the connection Effie feels to wildlife is somewhat underdeveloped, but it doesn't detract from the impact of the story.

What a great book about survival, resilience, friendship, and poetry inspired by a true court case. Effie, who is deaf, and her sister are now living with dad after mom got tired of Effie’s problems. Living at dad’s is not easy because he points at things and stomps having never learned ASL, drinks, and there is hardly any food. Effie is afraid to tell her ASL interpreter, Miss Kathy. Effie makes a new friend Cait who has CP and is in a wheelchair. Miss Kathy seems to know things aren’t right at home and dad allows her to stay with Miss Kathy for the month. Effie is thrilled. When Effie finds out Miss Kathy wants full custody she is worried her dad won’t allow it. What happens now?
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.