Weekend Pick for March 8, 2024

Weekend Pick for March 8, 2024

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Words in my Hands by Asphyxia

​Meet ​Libby Finsen, an integrated language arts education major at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, OH. She is our Weekend Pick contributor this weekend. Libby loves sharing her passion for learning with others, and she is also a big nature lover. She feels my best when she is outdoors. 

My love for learning and the outdoors is the main reason reason why I chose The Words in my Hands by Asphyxia for my weekend pick. This novel combines important aspects of social and environmental issues for the reader to tackle. As a fully immersed teacher candidate, I often find myself reading like a teacher, especially when it comes to young adult and middle-grade literature. As I scan the pages and take in the narrative, my mind wanders to teachable moments. I consider the broad perspectives that a novel can provide students (and all readers) with. This is why The Words in my Hands is so extraordinary to me. The author, Asphyxia, combines multiple layers of activism into her writing. The book pushes its reader to ask difficult questions while also maintaining an enjoyable storyline which can be a delicate balance. 

Asphyxia

The novel contains a unique and immersive approach to the familiar dystopian. The main character, Piper, is a Deaf teenager living in Australia. The reader is immersed in her complex world of political, economic, and environmental crisis while also viewing the world through her unique lens. The reader is invited to experience the world as she does in some very significant ways. One of these ways is that lip reading and the challenges associated with it are represented accurately throughout the text. When Piper misses information so does the reader. This contrasts with the ease of finger spelling and sign language. When information is made accessible to Piper, the same goes for the reader. Another beautiful way that the text represents Piper’s world is through its visuals. Every page is a unique and beautiful visual experience that makes this novel all the more expressive. 

​As a whole, this novel does a lot of important work while also being an enjoyable and visually stunning piece. There is a lot that can be said about the multifaceted awareness that this text strives to create. This book is eye-catching on the shelf and its appeal goes beyond surface level once you open it up and dig in.

Enjoy reading!