Literature
Books by and About Deaf People
- Authors listed here are deaf; some work with co-authors and illustrators who are hearing.
- All books listed here are published in 2000 or after.
- Books published before 2000 appear on the Library Milestones page.
- This is not a complete list. We are particularly interested in new titles that have been highlighted at public libraries.
NON-FICTION
Fischer, Catherine Hoffpauir and Cathryn Carroll Orchid of the Bayou: A Deaf Woman Faces Blindness. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 2001
Jacobowitz, E. Lynn and Adonia K. Smith, Have You Ever Seen …? An American Sign Language (ASL) Handshape DVD/Book. Illustrated by Tamara Davidson. Video directed by James R. DeDee. Frederick, MD: ASL Rose, 2005
Keast, Missy. One Day: Our View. Silver Spring, MD: Webbynation, 2001
Lang, Harry G. A Phone Of Our Own: The Deaf Insurrection Against Ma Bell. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 2000.
Lang, Harry G. Teaching From the Heart and Soul: The Robert F. Panara Story. 2007.
Lang, Harry G. Edmund Booth: Deaf Pioneer (2004)
Madsen, Willard J. Moods of Silence: Reflections in Verse and Prose Through a Deaf Poet’s Eyes. With an introduction by Robert F. Panara. 2007
Newman, Lawrence R. Sands of Time: NAD Presidents 1880-2003,
Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf, 2006
Norton, Kenneth W. The Eagle Soars to Enlightenment: An Illustrated History of the California School for the Deaf: San Francisco, Berkeley, Fremont (1860-2000). Fremont, CA: California School for the Deaf, 2000
Oliva, Gina. Alone in the Mainstream: A Deaf Woman Remembers Public School. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 2004
http://gupress.gallaudet.edu
Seeing a Need: A retrospective look at the first 30 years of Communication Service for the Deaf Sioux Falls, SD: Communication Service for the Deaf, 2005.
Sonnenstrahl, Deborah. Deaf Artists in America: Colonial to Contemporary. San Diego, CA: Dawn Sign Press, 2002
Step Into the Circle: The Heartbeat of American Indian, Alaska Natives and First Nations Deaf Communities. Edited by Damara Goff Paris and Sharon Kay Wood. Book cover designed by Tony Landon McGregor. Salem, OR: AGO Publications, 2002
Sutcliffe, Ronald E. The Legacy of Iowa School for the Deaf: A history of its first 150 years. Council Bluffs, IA: Iowa School for the Deaf, 2005.
Through Deaf Eyes: A Photographic History of an American Community, by Douglas C. Baynton, Jack R. Gannon and Jean Lindquist Bergey, Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 2007
Fischer, Catherine Hoffpauir and Cathryn Carroll Orchid of the Bayou: A Deaf Woman Faces Blindness. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 2001
- Catherine (Kitty), a retired librarian at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf; offers insights into the Cajun culture in which she was raised and about her experience with blindness. She has given her talk at several public libraries.
Jacobowitz, E. Lynn and Adonia K. Smith, Have You Ever Seen …? An American Sign Language (ASL) Handshape DVD/Book. Illustrated by Tamara Davidson. Video directed by James R. DeDee. Frederick, MD: ASL Rose, 2005
- Quality ASL, English bilingual and bicultural educational materials http://www.aslrose.com
- Presented by both authors at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library (DC),Feb 3, 2007
Keast, Missy. One Day: Our View. Silver Spring, MD: Webbynation, 2001
- It combines history and photography to document the deaf culture around the world in a single 24-hour period on May 1, 1997. http://www.deafnation.com
Lang, Harry G. A Phone Of Our Own: The Deaf Insurrection Against Ma Bell. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 2000.
- Listing historical events that changed the world of communication on phone for deaf people Robert H. Weitbrecht, James C. Marsters, and Andrew Saks together began the first TTY business.
- Several public libraries have TTY in which the public may be interested to know its history.
Lang, Harry G. Teaching From the Heart and Soul: The Robert F. Panara Story. 2007.
- Panara is one of the greatest deaf educators and lecturers in America and who helped founded the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and the National Theatre of the Deaf. Also an author and writer and whose love is always for baseball, drama, literature and poetry.
Lang, Harry G. Edmund Booth: Deaf Pioneer (2004)
- Laurent Clerc was his first teacher. In 1854, he was the editor of the Anamosa Eureka, the local newspaper in Iowa. His many newspaper articles through the years bore first-hand witness to the history of his times, from the Civil War to the advent of the 20th century. One of the three founders of National Association of the Deaf in 1880
Madsen, Willard J. Moods of Silence: Reflections in Verse and Prose Through a Deaf Poet’s Eyes. With an introduction by Robert F. Panara. 2007
- Professor Emeritus, Gallaudet University, a well known writer and poet; one of his most popular poems, "You Have to be Deaf to Understand," appeared in numerous books and magazines related to deaf culture; this poem has been translated into a number of languages. Has a passion for sign language and in words of his former professor, mentor and fellow poet, Robert F. Panara, he had a winning way in everything about him.
Newman, Lawrence R. Sands of Time: NAD Presidents 1880-2003,
Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf, 2006
- A tale of the deaf community and its evolution as seen through the eyes of each 30 past presidents, beginning with the creation of the NAD in 1880 http://www.nad.org
- Presented on March 14, 2007 at Rockville Library (MD) and March 28 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library (DC) by Yerker Andersson
Norton, Kenneth W. The Eagle Soars to Enlightenment: An Illustrated History of the California School for the Deaf: San Francisco, Berkeley, Fremont (1860-2000). Fremont, CA: California School for the Deaf, 2000
- Author explained how the book was written, designed and published making it very attractive to readers, especially those who do not like to read history books. http://www.csdfk12.ca.us
- Presented by author on April 7, 2006 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library (DC)
Oliva, Gina. Alone in the Mainstream: A Deaf Woman Remembers Public School. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 2004
http://gupress.gallaudet.edu
- Presented on February 17, 2007, hosted by National Literary Society of the Deaf, held at the Silver Spring Library (MD) She has also made presentations at several public libraries.
Seeing a Need: A retrospective look at the first 30 years of Communication Service for the Deaf Sioux Falls, SD: Communication Service for the Deaf, 2005.
- Ben Soukup is, the founder of the CSD. Frank Turk led the project with Derric Miller and Larry Puthoff supporting as co-authors. http://www.c-s-d.org
Sonnenstrahl, Deborah. Deaf Artists in America: Colonial to Contemporary. San Diego, CA: Dawn Sign Press, 2002
- Includes three hundred works of art by more than sixty deaf artists who have already made lasting contribution to the art world.
- Author as well as some artists that were mentioned in the book have been sharing their experience and work with the public through library programs and exhibits in past years.
Step Into the Circle: The Heartbeat of American Indian, Alaska Natives and First Nations Deaf Communities. Edited by Damara Goff Paris and Sharon Kay Wood. Book cover designed by Tony Landon McGregor. Salem, OR: AGO Publications, 2002
- Includes art works, autobiographies, biographies, folklore, perspectives of Indigenous people, poetry, songs and others http://deafnative.com/book.htm
- Several deaf speakers have used this important resource for observing National American Indian Heritage Month at the library
Sutcliffe, Ronald E. The Legacy of Iowa School for the Deaf: A history of its first 150 years. Council Bluffs, IA: Iowa School for the Deaf, 2005.
- Author grew up with deaf parents and one hearing sister on a farm in Clarksville, Iowa. Author, one of the many successful school graduates, mentioned the impact of the school and its students in Iowa and the nation since 1855. Author has given a talk on his book in Montgomery County, MD See: www.iadeaf.k12.ia.us
Through Deaf Eyes: A Photographic History of an American Community, by Douglas C. Baynton, Jack R. Gannon and Jean Lindquist Bergey, Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 2007
- Includes images from the 2001 exhibition, "History Through Deaf Eyes" at the Smithsonian Institution and WETA-TV’s documentary film "Through Deaf Eyes.' representing nearly 200 years of US deaf history http://gupress.gallaudet.edu
- Several public libraries have shown a preview of the PBS film, Through Deaf Eyes, inviting the group to discuss it afterward.
CHILDREN
Kelley, Walter Paul. Illustrated by Tony London McGregor.
Austin, TX: BuTo, Ltd.Co. http://www.buto.biz
Kelley, Walter Paul. Illustrated by Tony London McGregor.
Austin, TX: BuTo, Ltd.Co. http://www.buto.biz
- Deaf Culture: A to Z, 2003 --- Picture book; each letter describes a part of deaf culture
- The "I Love You" Story. 2005 --- Picture book illustrating the evolution of the term "love" in both the visual and spoken forms
FICTION
Graham, Janice. The Tailor’s Daughter. New York: St. Martin' Press, 2006.
Graham, Janice. The Tailor’s Daughter. New York: St. Martin' Press, 2006.
- A drama set in 1860's Victorian London; Veda Greenfell, the main deaf character Author got the idea in a dream. To authenticate the novel, she did extensive research, visiting classrooms at the Kansas School for the Deaf as well as Gallaudet University, and taking ASL classes. Author is hearing. http://www.janicegraham.com
CHILDREN'S FICTION
Uhlberg, Myron.
Altanta, GA: Peachtree Publishers. http://www.peachtree-online.com
Author is coda. Illustrators are hearing
Dad, Jackie, and Me. Illustrated by Colin Bootman. 2005
The Printer. Illustrated by Henri Sorensen., 2003
Uhlberg, Myron.
Altanta, GA: Peachtree Publishers. http://www.peachtree-online.com
Author is coda. Illustrators are hearing
Dad, Jackie, and Me. Illustrated by Colin Bootman. 2005
- A young boy shares the excitement of Jackie Robinson’s rookie season with his deaf father. 2006 ALA Schneider Family Book Award
- A favorite book of deaf children whose deaf hero is also a major league baseball player, named William Ellsworth Hoy or known as Dummy Hoy
The Printer. Illustrated by Henri Sorensen., 2003
- A deaf father and his hearing son show their love for each other and their dedication to the craft of printing.
- A favorite book of hearing children whose deaf father or grandpa were also printer in old days
- Author has made presentations at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library (DC) and several other public libraries in recent months.