Books with Deaf / Hard-of-Hearing Characters

It can be hard to find good Deaf and ASL representation in literature. So I decided to go on a quest to find as many fiction books as possible portraying deaf and/or hard-of-hearing characters or books written by deaf and/or hard-of-hearing authors.


Below is a list of books with
Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Characters:

Book titles are italicized 

 Books I have read are in bold text 

Note: This will be updated as I find and read more books.  Additionally, these books are not ranked, but as I read them, and if the representation doesn’t feel authentic, I will be removing the books. This means the list is not static. Any that I have read, liked, and recommend can be purchased here to support indie bookstores or click the button at the bottom of the page.

Additionally, I’ve added these titles to this spreadsheet. You can view it online or download a copy for your own use. The document is updated monthly.

It is currently sorted alphabetically by genre, but you’re welcome to sort or filter it however best fits your needs. I’ve also noted whether sign language is present; if I was unsure, that is indicated as well.

Any updates—such as new titles or additional details—will be reflected in the monthly update.

Please note how I am using the asterisks:
  •  Written by a Deaf / Hard-of-Hearing author *
  • Written by an ASL interpreter OR hearing author that has a D/HH family member **

Click the arrow to view the books:

Children’s Books
  • The Silent Sunset by Mike Dorsey*
  • My Monster Truck Goes Everywhere with Me by Kathleen Marcath**
  • I’m Deaf and that’s Okay by Emily Bisby*
  • Sammy and the Great Lakes Adventure by Frederick Miller III*
  • Sign About book collection by Anthony Lewis
  • Sign About Meal Time
  • Sign About Play Time
  • Sign About Getting Ready
  • BOY by Phil Cummings
  • Mara Hears in Style by Terri Clemmons
  • My Hearing, My Way by Dr. Stacey Armas**
  • Mila Gets Her Super-Ears by Ashley Machovec**
  • Dancing Hands: A Story of Friendship in Filipino Sign Language by Joanna Que and Charina Marquez
  • Mighty Mila by Katie Petruzziello**
  • Daisy Doo: All the Sounds She Knew by Daisy Kent*
  • My Deaf Friend Can Do Anything You Can Do by Tanesha Ausby**
  • Listen by Shannon Stocker
  • Gracie’s Ears by Debbie Blackington
  • Super Kena by Cymbaulk
  • Dachy’s Deaf by Jack Hughes
  • I am Deaf by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos and Maria Fabrega
  • Deafinitely Awesome: The Story of Acorn  by Timy Sullivan as told by Mary L. Motley
  • All the Ways I Hear You by Stephanie Marrufo**
  • I DEAF-initely Can: Rhett the Heeler by Karlie Waldrip*
  • Can Bears Ski? By Raymond Antrobus* and Polly Dunbar
  • Maxi’s Super Ears by Maggie Klein
  • Freddie and The Fairy by Julia Donaldson and Karen George
  • Nita’s Day by Kathy MacMillan
  • Sound Switch Wonder by Christine Ko and Owen Whang**
  • Listening to the Quiet by Cassie Silva
  • Come Over to My House by Eliza Hull and Sally Rippin**
  • William Hoy Story by Nancy Churnin
  • So Much More to Helen! by Meeg Pincus
  • Hands and Hearts by Donna Jo Napoli**
  • Butterfly on the Wind by Adam Pottle and Ziyue Chen*
  • Papa… Can You Hear Me Now? by Dr. Amit Gosalia
Middle Grade
  • Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly**
  • Harriet Versus the Galaxy by Samantha Baines*
  • Won’t Someone Help Anna? by Francine Pascal and Jamie Suzanne (Sweet Valley Twins)
  • The Babysitter’s Club: Jessi’s Secret Language by Chan Chou
  • Show Me a Sign series by Ann Clare LeZotte*
    • Show Me a Sign (Book 1)
    • Set Me Free (Book 2)
    • Sail Me Away Home (Book 3)
  • T4 by Ann Clare LeZotte*
  • Deer Run Home by Ann Clare LeZotte*
  • Astrid the Astronaut Series by Rie Neal
    • The Astronomically Grand Plan
    • The Unlucky Launch
    • Hydroponic Hijinks
    • Robot Rebellion
  • deaf Not Deaf by Christian Fusco**
  • El Deafo by CeCe Bell*
  • Next Door by Deborah Kerbel and Isaac Liang*
  • Deaf Kids Can series by Mickey Carolan**
    1. Sky the Deaf Home Run Hero 
    2. Bonnie and the Deaf Bake Squad 
  • Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly
  • Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby
  • Waiting for a Sign by Etsy Schachter**
  • The Words in My Hands by Asphyxia*
  • The Sound of Silence by Myron Uhlberg
  • The Night the Moon Went Out by Samantha Baines
  • Major and Mynah by Karen Owen
  • You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino
  • Swishing by Victoria Monroe and Shawn Richardson*
  • That Deaf Guy! by Matt and Kay Daigle*
  • Deaf Child Crossing by Marlee Matlin*
  • Nobody’s Perfect by Marlee Matlin*
Young Adult
  • The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais*
  • A Game Most Foul by Alison Gervais*
  • You’re Welcome, Universe by Whitney Gardner*
  • Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino*
  • On the Bright Side  by Anna Sortino*
  • A Quite Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard
  • Deeplight by Frances Hardinge
  • Unravel by Amelia Loken*
  • The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew*
  • Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew*
  • I am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew*
  • Tone Deaf by Olivia Rivers
  • There Will be Lies by Nick Lake
  • Whisper by Chrissie Keighery
  • Seafire by Natalie C. Parker
  • Hunting Sirens by Mary Mecham
  • MoonCakes by Suzanne Walker (author) and Wendy Xu (illustrator)
  • M.F.K. by Nilah Magruder 
  • Dust by Alison Stine
  • Enchanting Songs for Silent Sirens by Laura Greenwood
  • Raven River Academy (series) by Ruby Vincent (deaf side character)
  • Kat’s Fall by Shelley Hrdlitschka
  • This is Kind of Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender
  • Hear Me by Kerry O’Malley Cerra*
  • Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John
  • The Loudest Silence by Syndey Langford*
Adult
  • A Sign for Home by Blair Fell**
  • True Biz by Sara Novic*
  • Girl at War by Sara Novic*
  • Into the Drowning Deep by Seanan McGuire
  • Dark Pines by Will Dean
  • The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton
  • Silent Fear by Lance and Jame Morcan
  • Dead Silence by Robin Caroll
  • Into the Dark by Karen Rose
  • The Signal by Mike Duke
  • Flirting with Flame by Samantha Jayce
  • A Sign of Her Own by Sarah Marsh*
  • Deafening by Frances Itani**
  • The Dolphin House by Audrey Schulman
  • Talismans, Teacups, and Trysts (Alderwood Regency Fantasies Book 1)  by K. Starling** (deaf side character)
  • Wrath’s Daughter (The Chaos Series) by A.E. Crosby**
  • The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
  • Paige Northwood Series by Nell Pattison*
    • The Silent House
    • Silent Night
    • The Silent Suspect
  • The Magic Thief and the Whisper Heath by Effie Laroe** (deaf side character)
  • The Daisy Chain Reaction by A.C. Nightingale*
  • The Daisy Chain Collapse by A.C. Nightingale*
  • Secrets Don’t Stay Buried by J.D. Mills*
  • Waiting for a Sign by Esty Schachter
  • The Resilient Silence Series by Peter Quint*
    • Resilient Silence
    • Resilient Surrender
Adult Romance
  • Hunting Sirens by Mary Mecham
  • Quiet Beautiful Things by Samantha Christy
  • The Right Sign by Nia Arthurs
  • Prickly Romance by Nia Arthurs
  • What It Means to be Whole by Andrea Andersen**
  • What It Means to Be Brave by Andrea Andersen**
  • Slap Shot (The D.C. Stars Series) by Chelsea Corto
  • Finding More by Larissa C. Moyer
  • In Our Hands by Larissa C. Moyer
  • Unspoken by Sandi Lynn
  • Make You Mine by E.M. Lindsey
  • Only When It’s Us by Chloe Liese
  • A Notorious Vow by Joanna Shupe
  • Friends with Benefits by Laura Brown*
  • Signs of Attraction by Laura Brown*
  • A Cruise Fling by Laura Brown*
  • The Un-Arranged Marriage by Laura Brown*
  • This is Kind of Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender
  • Next of Kin by Hannah Bonam-Young
  • Sounds of Silence by Kari Lemor
    1. Perfect Silence
  • The Silent Duo by Jaci Wheeler
    1. Silent Song 
    2. Silent Words 
  • A Hearing Heart by Bonnie Dee
  • Sign Me Up by Dulcie Dameron
  • Hits Different by Tasha Ghouri* and Lizzie Huxley-Jones
  • The Princess of Chaos by Candice Wright
  • Fern’s Decision by Bea Paige
  • Mr. Nice Spy by Tiana Smith**
  • The Tides Between Us (Orchid City #3) by Cali Melle
  • Hear My Heart by Tay Mo’Nae
  • Barbarian’s Touch by Ruby Dixon
  • Affogato (Brewbiz Book 1) by E.M. Lindsey
  • London Fog (BrewBiz Book 2) by E.M. Lindsey
  • The Witch Collector (Witch Walker)  by Charissa Weaks (MUTE character who signs) 
  • Little Stranger by Leigh Rivers (MUTE character who signs)
Non-Fiction
  • Living with Hearing Loss and Deafness by Samantha Baines*
  • Deaf Utopia by Nyle DiMarco*
  • I’ll Scream Later by Marlee Matin*
  • Finding Zoe by Brandi Rarus* and Gail Harris
  • Train Go Sorry: Inside a Deaf World by Leah Hager Cohen**
  • Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma*
  • The Butterfly Cage by Rachel Zemach**
  • The Sound of Silence: Growing Up with Hearing and Deaf Parents by Myron Uhlberg**
  • Listen: how Evelyn Glennie, A Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion by Shannon Stocker
  • Learn to Sign with Your Baby: 50 Essential ASL Signs to Help Your Child Communicate Their Needs, Wants, and Feelings by Cecilia S. Grugan*
  • Between Two Worlds: My Life as a Child of Deaf Adults by David Sorensen*
  • Hearing Maud by Jessica White*
  • Sounds Like Home by Mary Herring Wright*
  • Deaf Again by Mark Drolsbaugh*
  • Anything but Silent by Mark Drolsbaugh*
  • That Deaf Kid: The Ultimate Guide for Parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children by Mark Drolsbaugh*
  • Madness in the Mainstream by Mark Drolsbaugh*
  • Death Beneath by Libby Lael*
  • Convergence Crush by Libby Lael*
  • A Quiet Foghorn: More Notes from a Deaf Gay Life by Raymond Luczak*
  • Deaf Like Me by Thomas S. Spradley*
  • America is Immigrants by Sara Novic
Poetry
  • The Perseverance by Raymond Antrobus*
  • Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky*
  • She Carries the Sword by Cheyenna Clearbrook*
  • She Slay the Victory by Cheyenna Clearbrook*

Upcoming Releases:

  • We Should Not Have Come Here by J.D. Mills* (February 2026)
  • Space for Saffron by Rie Neal (February 2026)
  • The Gallaudet Eleven by Kerry O’Malley Cera* (March 2026)
  • Someone to Dream About by Sydney Langford* (March 2026)
  • The Gravewood by Kelly Andrew* (April 2026)
  • Stops Along the Way by Anna Sortino* (May 2026)
  • Mother Tongue by Sara Novic* (May 2026)
  • All Eyes Upon Us by J.D. Mills (August 2026
  • TBD by Sydney Langford (2027)

Any that I have read, liked, and recommend can be purchased here to support indie bookstores or click below.

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