Hurt Go Happy

Thirteen-year-old Joey Willis has been deaf since she was six years old, but her parents won't let her learn sign language. They believe she will look weak and disabled if she is seen signing. Her world is one of lip-reading and tremendous frustration, until the day she heads out into the woods in search of mushrooms and comes upon a "neighbor," Dr. Charles Mansell, and his chimpanzee, Sukari. Sukari can communicate with Dr. Mansell through sign language. Joey's world just gets bigger and better ... but something changes all that .... This book is the recipient of the 2008 Schneider Family Book Award.