Picture Books with Deaf Characters

Greg struggles academically in class due to an undiagnosed hearing loss. His new teacher slowly works out what his problem is.

Sarah Ana is an eight-year old girl who has a hearing mother and a deaf father. Sarah Ana shares what it is like living at her house. Several hallmark aspects of deaf culture are introduced as the book focuses on positive self-esteem.

A simple story of school aged Peter who gets hearing aids which is illustrated.

When Kim, a hearing-impaired girl, begins going to a regular school after having been in a special one, she finds that she isn't as different as she had feared because everyone she meets has individual differences, too.

Rowan is deaf, as are both his parents. In this story we see how he and his parents and his hearing cousin communicate. We see a happy, very normal child going swimming, going for a pizza, and attending his local deaf club.

This British book portrays Tom who is severely deaf and wears hearing aids, lip-reads and is learning to sign. At school Tom is in both a unit class and a mainstream class. He is shown using a radio aid.

This non-fiction book is part of a New Zealand series of books called Everyone is Different. The book features Teacher of the Deaf, Richard Buckley and his former students at the Te Aro School Deaf Unit in Wellington.

This book follows a day in the life of a child with a hearing loss, and shows how he and his family and friends cope with day-to-day situations.

This picture book is based on the love of baseball, Jackie Robinson, and the connection a hearing boy makes with his deaf father. The narrator is a boy who loves to play baseball and listen to Dodgers’ games on the radio.

This well illustrated picture book features Jacob, who wakes up early in the morning with the aid of his flashing alarm clock.  He then wakes his Dad and they walk to the beach and watch the sun rise together. Jacob communicates with his dad through speech reading, listening, talking and signing. This book would appeal to four to seven year olds.

The Story of a Deaf Boy Named Chris, who shares his thoughts and experiences of how he enjoys everyday life as a young boy, who happens to have been born deaf. Suitable for ages 7-11.