Speechless

Jewish sixth grader Mira, portrayed with brown skin, lives with selective mutism, a condition that prevents her from speaking in certain social settings. To cope, Mira channels her creativity to develop stop-motion animation videos, crafting unique puppets and offbeat scripts which she anonymously posts online. Mira's sanctuary is jeopardized by the arrival of her former best friend, Chloe, who's staying with Mira's family to finish the academic year before joining her parents following a move to Missoula to care for Chloe's ailing grandmother. At school, Mira finds an unexpected ally in nonbinary class project partner Alex, who supports her during moments of bullying. As Mira contends with shifting relationships, she attends therapy sessions that mark her progress from whispering to Alex at their seats to speaking at the front of the class. Steinke (the Mr. Wolf's Class series) draws from personal experience, as addressed in an author's note, to offer realistic insight into SM and its social stigma. Exaggerated cartooning highlights Mira's emotions, blending humor and vulnerability in a heartwarming and visually enticing graphic novel that lauds imagination and self-expression. Characters are depicted with varying skin tones. Ages 8--12. Agent: Judy Hansen, Hansen Literary. (Mar.)

At the start of sixth grade, Mira Toledano-Stone, an aspiring animator with social anxiety, decides this will be the year she conquers her fears and starts speaking in school. In the comfort of her home, Mira has no problem talking, but no matter how much pressure she puts on herself, she can't find her voice at school. On the first day of middle school, her plan to start fresh falls apart, and soon she's become a target of bullying once again. Making stop-motion animation films is Mira's outlet, but her younger sister always invades her space. To make matters worse, Mira's parents betray her when they invite Chloe, her "pretend nice" former best friend, to live with them while her family deals with a crisis. With the help of a therapist, Mira navigates middle school woes and confronts her social anxiety. This coming-of-age graphic novel depicts a diverse world around Mira (who's Jewish and has light-brown skin and dark hair), including her crush, who usesthey/them pronouns. The relationship-focused plot has high appeal, but Mira's parents' complete lack of awareness--until a teacher calls home--that she hasn't been speaking in school stretches the limits of believability. Additionally, the narrative, which Steinke explains in an author's note reflects some of his own experiences, primarily focuses on Mira's acquiring speech without acknowledging other forms of communication. A compelling school story that could have explored its central topic with greater depth.(Graphic fiction. 9-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.