Review: Speechless

Speechless

Aron Nels Steinke

Graphix (imprint of Scholastic), 2025

Category: Middle Grade

Reviewer: Kathryn Hall

 

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This middle grade graphic novel's main character is Mira Toledano-Stone who is hoping for a better year as she starts 6th grade at a new school. Her anxiety and selective mutism prevent her from speaking in school despite her best efforts. At home she is quite able to argue with her younger sister and parents. Chloe, Mira's best friend from preschool to second grade, is now popular but Mira has no friends and blames Chloe. Mira spends all her free time alone creating short stop-motion films. Mira's busy, loving parents do not seem to understand how much her anxiety is interfering with her life until her grades are affected. Then they eliminate her film making and start taking her to a therapist. Mira's mother had invited Mira's nemesis Chloe to live with them until the end of the school year as her family, has had to move to Montana due to a sick grandparent. In the meantime Mira slowly develops a friendship with a new classmate, Alex, who is nonbinary. 

 

Mira is not a very appealing character initially as her selective mutism interferes with communication, she misunderstands many of her classmates and behaves badly. As her parents learn more about what is going on with her and make sure that she gets the treatment she needs, Mira makes real efforts to better communicate with and understand others. This improves Mira's mood as well as the reader's. There is a satisfying arc to the narrative with a realistically happy ending. The illustrations evoke 6th grade effectively and enhance the story. The author's illustrated end notes explain that he had severe social anxiety which was untreated and how he improved and continues to deal with it. He also gives resources for parents.

This worthwhile book is well written and illustrated and will be enjoyed by middle grade (and adult) readers as it improves their understanding of childhood anxiety. However, there is very little Jewish content in Speechless and what there is, is subtle. Mira Toledano-Stone mentions her mother's matzah ball soup once; her father is pictured wearing a kippah at least once; and Mira's mother has skin tone and a name suggesting Sephardic heritage. 

 

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Reviewer Kathryn Hall is a retired pediatrician, lifetime member of the Jane Austen Society of North America, volunteer librarian for her synagogue and for her local LGBT+ center, and active in her local PFLAG chapter. She has a special interest in Jewish children's literature with LGBT+ content. She lives in Central California with her husband, the youngest of her three children, and two of her eight grandchildren.