by Jenny Jackson - undifferentiated
First published 2017
Josie writes everything down because she cannot speak. Born without voice, the eleven-year-old lives with her twin brother Mitch in a quiet Kentucky village in 1952. When an American teacher joins their school, Josie becomes convinced he might be their missing father. She recruits Mitch and their two closest friends to gather proof of her theory. The children follow clues and collect evidence, but their investigation leads them into dangerous territory. Village secrets run deeper than anyone suspected. Josie finds herself in mortal danger as the truth emerges. Growing up means learning that silence takes many forms. Other people in her world also struggle to find their voices, though for different reasons than her own.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, coming-of-age, family-drama
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, investigation
Setting: Kentucky, United States
Period: 1952
80 pages · Paperback · Independently published