Customer Reviews

Sign Language

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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!

Check out more reviews at BookstotheSky.com

(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)

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.

Oh. My. I knew a little about what would happen going in, but I had no idea how much of an impact this book would truly make. I was on the verge of tears for most of the first half and the second, I found myself in tears for some pretty intense parts. It was a very emotional read. And I'm glad I read it.

I was able to connect with Abby right away. I wanted to comfort her, protect her and it was hard to watch her experience this at such a young age. Reading through, it was obvious that Abby knew her dad would die, but she hadn't grasped the concept of him not going to be around. It was her first lesson in death and it just about broke my heart.

I'm glad I read this, but it was a hard read. I kept having to put it down to take breaks because it rings very true. Anyone who has lost someone to cancer can relate in so many ways and those who haven't don't feel cut off from the characters or the story. It was beautifully, heart achingly done. It something that definitely needs to be read.

The story's main focus is on Abby learning to deal with losing her father, but I loved to see how it went from losing him to learning how to live and how to heal. It is a story that everyone should read.

Sign Language has nothing to do with the sign language you may be thinking of, trust me I was thinking of ASL when I read the title as well. This book is about a twelve-year-old girl who struggles with finding out her father has cancer.

I cried the most during this book than any other book I've ever read. I used to have a book in mind I would mention whenever someone mentioned crying while reading; this book has taken its place. The first-half of the book was gut-wrenching. I put the book down a few times to stop crying and to get my head back in the game. I cried less during the second-half, but I still enjoyed the last section of the book.

We get to read about Abby from the ages of 12-15. I talk about this often, but usually I avoid books that have character(s) this young. Something about the description pulled me into wanting to read this; I'm SO happy I did! We get to experience how she feels and how different she is through three years of her life. How someone can change and grow, but in many ways stay the same is shown in this book. Looking back at the book now, I think Abby goes through every stage of grief, so we get to see her emotions go haywire at times.

"He spoke to her. Not directly, mind you. Abby didn't hear God's voice; He communicated with her in writing on a three- dimensional pyramid afloat in deep blue liquid inside a black orb. He would answer her questions, but only those requiring a YES, NO, or MAYBE.

God spoke to Abby through her Magic Eight Ball."

We all remember Magic Eight Balls like the one on the cover, right? Abby isn't a religious person, she only turns to God when something horrible happens and when she wants a sign, but she does speak to God a few times during the book by using her Magic Eight Ball. Her doing this made me smile and laugh a bit, but it also was sad that she turned to an inanimate object to answer questions and to make her feel better.

This book has taught me not to assume. I have children of my own and even though they are young, I need to remember that just because I know how something works doesn't mean my children or anyone else around me does for that matter. You need to TALK and discuss with your children even though you yourself may be going through something difficult as well. I wish Abby's mom would have been more vocal to her children in regards to their father. I do understand parents make mistakes and maybe her mom would have done things differently if she could.

I couldn't find anything wrong with Sign Language. It's a novel I think everyone should experience. Whether you're young or old, even if you don't particularly enjoy young adult fiction, I think you'll enjoy this one!

P.S. I just noticed I wrote this very long review, my reviews are never this long, and I didn't even mention the boy! I will say this, there is a boy that is there for Abby from the beginning and he is the SWEETEST thing ever!

Sign Language by Amy Ackley is extremely real and moving yet lightened with humor. I found it remarkable that the voice of the 12 year old in the first pages of the book gradually becomes a 16 year old voice in the last pages. I am giving it 5 stars and would recommend it to young adult (or older adult) readers. It is a well written and entertaining book.

WOW. I knew it would be an emotional story and I knew I would like it but I had absolutely no idea what effect it was going to have on me or how I would feel after reading it. Sign Language is an emotional roller-coaster that renders you speechless within the first hour of reading it. It's heart-breaking, it's touching and it's going to teach you some life lessons along the way. I wasn't familiar with the author's work before but I'm very glad I picked this up.

Although Sign Language features a third person narrator, it's still Abby whose thoughts we hear most of the time. Abby is an average 13 year-old American girl - a little bit of a Goody two-shoes who still depends on her parents, who's good at most subjects at school but is quite unpopular when it comes to boys of her age. The novel follows Abby's and her family's story before her dad is diagnosed with cancer and after his death, when the family slowly but surely starts to fall apart.

Abby wasn't someone I had an instant connection with and there were times when she was verging on annoying but still, she had many characteristics I could easily relate to. After the loss of his father, she turns from an innocent girl to a rebellious and angry teenager. She's angry with herself, with her dad for leaving them and she starts to gradually alienate herself from her friends. As her friend Leise sums it up: it's as if she wants to make sure she's never going to be happy again - she's too afraid of losing people she loves that she's determined not to love anyone again. My favourite character has to be Josh, Abby's older brother. What I liked about him the most was how the trauma of losing his dad has changed him. For me Abby and him seemed to be like complete opposites. While losing their dad made the innocent and friendly Abby bitter and angry, it made Josh, the rebellious teenager, caring and helpful. It was nice to see how much he cared about his sister, even if he didn't show any signs of it before.

Apart from the emotional storyline, what I really liked about this story was the message it conveys. It shows us that family is something we take for granted and the fact that people don't appreciate what they have until it's all gone. It shows you who your real friends are and who are the ones who will be there for you no matter what you do. Sign Language is a real tear-jerker, a heart-breaking but still very hopeful novel from the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award winner Amy Ackley. I highly recommend it to everyone - it's been the best YA novel I've read so far. Simply amazing.

Sign Language is a bit of a cross between a middle grade novel and a young adult novel; it also has nothing to do with sign language itself. The sign language part comes into play because at the start, the main character Abby, a twelve year old with no worries and a loving mother and father, likes to talk to her magic eight ball and ask it for a sign regarding her nonexistent - but very much hopeful - love life.

Abby's life quickly goes from being normal, to being the façade of normal. Her father has cancer. No. Her father is dying. She knows it, he knows it, her mother and brother know it, but they all pretend and hope and act, like he'll pull through. Abby's insistence that no one outside her family - not even her best friend Spence - know, is heartbreaking because it is realistic. Abby doesn't want to be that girl whose dad has cancer. She wants normal.

Even if she can't have it.

As the story progresses, and Abby's father comes closer and closer to death, we get to see her grow and grow up. The story takes place over a span of about 3-4 years, so it truly does start out as a middle grade novel, but moves towards a more young adult field. I still believe it is a good fit for older middle grade readers though, as it handles death and grief and loss with so much honesty and raw emotion.

Death is never easy. And it's not easy for Abby to handle. She starts off as a young, naïve, innocent girl, but quickly transforms into a saddened, even bitter teenager. She doesn't know how to deal with her grief because she shies away from it, almost ignoring it altogether. Her family falls apart around her and there's nothing she can do about it, but deal.

Amy Ackley has expertly handled death and life with Sign Language. It's clear that she has experienced such tragedy firsthand; and has infused Abby, her mother, her brother Josh, the sweet boy next door Spence, and every other character with so much life that it is impossible not to feel and grieve and hope and live with them. The grief is real, the loss extreme, but the hope, the life, the love that comes out at the end - it is truly uplifting. Sign Language is heartbreaking in its raw portrayal of a family losing a father and learning how to live in his absence. The subject matter may be a little too mature for some middle grade readers, but I think it's suitable for more mature MG readers and has plenty to offer for YA readers as well.

Having a parent die at a young age can be really hard. Although it's quite different if it's sudden or if it's slow. In Sign Language Abby's father has been suffering for a long time. In the book we see bits and pieces of the real details, but enough to understand. What was heartbreaking is how Abby comes to terms with her fathers death. She's young, so she's given just enough info to let her know what's going on but not more than the family thinks she can handle. I appreciated the chapter in which they attend the funeral and she freaks out. I could feel her pain and her confusion and I think that she wasn't given more details more due to the family not wanting to acknowledge the truth more than what they thought she'd be able to handle.

It's really a coming of age story. Abby deals with her fathers sickness and death alongside her family. We get to see into each of the family members emotions and reactions to the loss. Each person deals with it in a different way, but Abby is young and her understanding of the loss is handled more as a learning process throughout the story.

Although the death and sickness of her father is not the only thing Abby has to deal with. There are decisions made in each of the family members lives to be able to adapt and move on. Abby's story continues to grow as she and her family deal with the loss, she must also still understand friendship and school, and boys.

Even though the story revolves around the loss in the family, there is not a huge focus on his sickness. We do get to see some parts of what Abby witnesses as her dad is sick, but as it's just barely viewed by Abby it's handled in the story with caution and just enough pieces to understand what is happening for the reader.

It was more of a coming of age story, with a girl who has to overcome several things and along the way learns a lot about life, family and relationships.