Young adult fiction winner Amy Ackley of Brighton, Mich. is a mother of three whose career has included a variety of jobs, from public administration to labor relations for top automakers. Ackley left home at the tender age of 16 and has supported herself ever since. Inspired by the loss of her father and two close friends to cancer, Sign Language tells the story of twelve-year-old Abby North. Her first hint that something is wrong with her dad is the scar that appears on his stomach after he goes in for kidney surgery. Soon, the thing she calls "It" has a real name: cancer. Before, her biggest concerns were her annoying brother, the crush unaware of her existence, and her changing feelings for her best friend, Spence. Now, her mother cries in the shower, her father is exhausted, and nothing is normal anymore. Nancy Werlin said the novel "tells its story beautifully and movingly, and it earns its hopeful ending. Ackley is without question a talented writer."
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To call this affecting debut a tearjerker is an understatement. Will Abby's story of loss and love gain popularity? Signs point to yes. (Fiction. 12 & up) - Kirkus Reviews
This is an amazing debut novel for readers who appreciate contemporary teen fiction. It is both moving and realistic, a result of the well-crafted family relationships. - Shanna Smith (VOYA)
Ackley ably balances Abby's everyday teen dilemmas with the impossible heartache of a parent's illness and death, and the hopeful ending concludes a tale that is somber but never depressing. Bridging a nice gap between Lurlene McDaniel and Sarah Dessen novels, this should appeal to fans of both.--Snow Wildsmith (Booklist)
Ackley does an amazing job of writing from that preteen perspective, and Abby's reactions to what she witnesses are spot on. Ackley does a beautiful job of showing the progression from the early to late stages of cancer, and can do the topic justice because it is so focused. - Shanyn Day (San Francisco/Sacramento Book Review)
SIGN LANGUAGE tells of a pre-teen facing her father's cancer and how it's changing her life. Previously only concerned with a crush and an annoying brother, Abby's facing her family's wrenching breakdown in the face of illness and death. Afterwards, she can't even cry: how can life go on? A fine novel of recovery evolves. - Midwest Book Review
From the Inside Flap
Twelve-year-old Abby North's first hint that something is wrong with her dad is the scar that appears on his stomach after he goes in for kidney surgery. Soon, the thing she calls "It" has a real name: cancer. Before, her biggest concerns were her annoying brother, the crush unaware of her existence, and her changing feelings for her best friend, Spence, the boy across the street. Now, her mother cries in the shower, her father is exhausted, and nothing is normal anymore. Amy Ackley's impressive debut, winner of the first Amazon Breakthrough YA Novel Award, is wrenching, heartbreaking, and utterly true.
Amy Ackley, a Michigan native, inherited her passion for reading and writing from her father, a writer, creative writing teacher, and literature addict.
Ackley spent her childhood writing and illustrating stories, but took the long road to publication. She earned a B.S. in Human Resource Development from Oakland University, an M.S.A. in Human Resource Administration from Central Michigan University, and wore a variety of career hats (court clerk, flight attendant, and labor relations specialist, to name a few), spending late nights with her childhood love, writing fiction.
Ackley's first novel, Sign Language, won the first Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest for Young Adult Fiction. Sign Language, drawn from the loss of Ackley's father to kidney cancer when she was a teenager, will be published by Viking in August 2011.
Amy Ackley lives in Brighton, Michigan with her husband and an assortment of high maintenance animals, including three daughters.
(I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.)
So it took me awhile to decide what I even wanted to rate this book. It was great but it wasn't bad. It was good and I enjoyed reading it, but I was just unsure. The beginning of the book was a little slow and it wasn't until the last 100 pages or so that I was really into it!
The main character Abby is dealing with a lot of things for a girl her age; father dying, mother grieving, changing feelings for her best friend and just growing up in general. I haven't been in her situation so I don't know how I would have handled it. But she handled it in her own way. Instead of openly grieving her father's death she kept everything bottled up inside and pushed everyone away for fear of losing them.
Sign Language is a good coming to age novel, that's for sure. It starts off with Abby at 12 years old and just learning about her father's illness. And it ends with her at 15 and learning to cope and deal with all the changes and finally opening herself up to her family and Spence.
Oh Spence, he was such an adorable kid. I wish when I was a kid I would have known a boy this sweet. Abby takes advantage of Spence's kindness for awhile, which really broke my heart. But eventually she saw the err in her ways. Thank goodness! That poor boy needed a break!(less)
Have you ever had that feeling where you know that something's wrong? That there's something out of place? You might not be able to put a finger on what exactly, but you have a creeping feeling that something is terribly wrong. Instead of investigating further, you choose to ignore it. Act like whatever it is isn't there. Maybe then it will go away, stop bothering you, and you'll forget that there was anything there in the first place. What if... it doesn't disappear? It stays right where it is, slowly growing and becoming more and more horrible with all of the apathy you have shown it. But no one bothers to tell you what's wrong, and you choose to look the other way. Until it becomes so unbearable that it twists your whole life out of control. Suddenly, you wonder how you could have ever missed it.
This is exactly what young, twelve-year-old Abby North goes through. She had no idea that anything was wrong. How could she, when the problems that claimed her attention were the fact that her long-time crush didn't know she existed, her older brother was unbearable, and she had no idea how to cope with growing up and the changes that come with it. If she could get through these, then Abby would be able to conquer anything. Well... maybe anything except cancer, that is.
Abby had been absolutely oblivious to the fact that her father was sick with cancer. All she knew was that he wasn't feeling good, but the visits to the doctor were going to make him all better. Or so everyone thought. It turns out that the doctors couldn't do anything for Abby's father. His condition is suddenly spiraling downward, taking young Abby and her entire family with him.
Abby's father is trying so hard to overcome his illness, but is he strong enough?... Now Abby's biggest problems are how she keeps what her family is going through a secret from their neighbors and friends and how will her dying father ever live? Can Abby cope with the fact that her father is dying, and there is absolutely nothing she can do about it? How much time does her father have left? Amy Ackley reveals all in her heart-wrenching story of one daughter's journey to learn to live on after there is nothing left in, Sign Language!
Sign Language is a spectacular book that tells of one girl's story that I'm sure many have had to go through as well. Filled with raw emotion, this book was constantly bringing tears to my eyes as I read Abby's story. Amy Ackley's writing is both beautiful and haunting, and it will stick in your mind for days after, keeping you up at night. I recommend this book for young teens all the way to adults, as they will be able to relate to the emotions that force this little girl to grow up much too soon.
Sign Language starts when Abby is twelve years old. Over the course of the book, we follow Abby as she grows up from a young twelve-year-old to a mature fifteen-year-old. Throughout the book Abby grows up into a full-on teenager, but over the course of those four years one thing stays the same: she loves her dad. Each chapter goes by in months. For example one chapter might be September, another might be December to March, and another might say June, Continued. It was interesting to see how time went on and the ways in which Abby slowly grew up, but never really forgot her father.
It was very easy to relate to Abby and all that she went through. I couldn't help but feel horrified for what this young girl had to endure and how no matter what, she couldn't let go of her dad. Even when Abby would go about her daily life, there would be instances where a memory of her father would pop into her mind, or something would remind her of him. Sign Language really shows just how strong the bonds of family can be, and that they will always be there to catch you when you fall.
Amy Ackley's writing is stunning. She knows exactly when to crack a joke, and when not to. Her writing evoked all kinds of emotions from me, and she never failed to coax a laugh or a sob out of me. There are moments where Ackley's writing is haunting, and certain phrases will resound in your head, trapped in your mind as they bounce off the walls. Parts of Sign Language will stick with any reader, and I cannot wait to see what endeavors Ackley takes on next.
There was an interesting use of a certain Magic 8 Ball that was significant to Abby over the years. It was there for her when she needed to ask about her crush, a seemingly important question at the time, and when she felt she needed a simple answer that would somehow help her make sense of her chaotic life. Abby's Magic 8 Ball was a connection to God from her point of view, and it was very interesting to see how this object could always provide an answer that had the ability to either make everything better, or worse.
I think that some readers might find Abby to be whiny or ungrateful at times, but I felt that this wasn't the case. All of the characters in Sign Language had distinct personalities that developed even more over the course of the book. The interactions between all of the characters formed strong relationships between them that made their conversations and their actions toward one another all the more meaningful. One word spoke volumes, and that was all that was really needed at times.
Sign Language is an intense book that follows one girl's journey to come to terms with the fact that she will always be her father's daughter, no matter what happens. Filled with emotion, loss, and hope, Sign Language is a debut that you will not want to miss out on. Join Abby, as she grows up to learn the strength it takes to move on, and that her loved ones will always be there for her in, Sign Language!
-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf... Until Next Time, Keep Reading!Read more ›
Amy Ackley's Sign Language is the story of Abby whose father has cancer. Abby wasn't aware that anything was seriously wrong with her father except that it was taking him some time to recover from surgery. Abby's life begins to drastically change as her father is home resting all the time and her mother is afraid to leave his side.
Sign Language is a beautiful and heartbreaking story about loss and life. Abby's biggest concern used to be how to get the attention of her crush but, her life changes when her father gets sick. It is evident from the beginning how much Abby loves and adores her father. As he begins to die, Abby handles it all in her own way. Abby is not only losing her father though, her mother won't leave the house or her father's side and cries all time. Then there is Abby's sweet and loyal best friend Spence who tries to help her along the way.
Sign Language had me in tears several times throughout the story. I was immediately captivated by Abby and her family's story. Ackley expertly handles the topic of loss and grief. I enjoyed that the story spans over a couple of years without ever feeling rushed. The reader can see how much Abby grows and how she continues to handle it all. The book also has moments though that make the reader smile and hopeful. I completely loved the ending and it was definitely my favorite part of the book. I recommend Sign Language, it is an excellent story about growing up.
I only gave it four stars instead of five because it's not the genre I normally read. It was sad, but at the same time full of hope... just like real life. I LOVED the style of writing, and the "realness" of this book. I felt like I was tagging along in the life of the main character. Very well written, and would recommend it to anyone!
When Abby North is twelve years old, her father comes home from kidney surgery with a sad diagnosis: terminal cancer. This novel takes readers from the time Abby is told that her father is going into the hospital for kidney surgery through his battle with cancer (about a year) and then another year after Mr. North's death.
Not only must Abby accept her father's illness and death, she must deal with the typical things girls her age deal with. The boy she thinks she likes shows no interest in her, and the boy next door - well, is he only a friend, or could there be something more?
So Abby wants answers. She wasn't brought up in any particular religion, but she turns to a Magic 8-Ball toy for answers when things get tough.
This book is meant for YA readers - those who are about Abby's age. If this adult reviewer can see and feel with Abby, certainly readers her own age can. Those who have two healthy, happily married parents may learn to appreciate their family more. With this in mind, I recommend this book.
