In her 2009 TED Talk, Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie talked about ‘The Danger of a Single Story’. She spoke of how readers are ‘impressionable and vulnerable in the face of a story, particularly as children’. This is a problem that has persisted for quite some time now. The tales that children are usually exposed to or encouraged to read often tell a single story. The characters in these stories are identical, their motivations and fears are similar and their mental and physical attributes are taken for granted as falling under the societal definition of ‘normal’. These stories that are peddled so enthusiastically to young audiences are predictable, follow set ideas and largely gloss over any subject that would conventionally be considered ‘difficult’ for children. In short, these stories are not very inclusive of difference.
It is therefore heartening to be living in an era where publishers such as Duckbill are providing a space for different voices. This year, they’ve published a series of books in particular that not only address inclusion, but celebrate it. Two of the books are the award winning Vibhuti Cat and the latest addition to its ‘hOle Books’ series—Susie Will Not Speak.
Penned by prolific children’s writer Shruthi Rao, Susie Will Not Speak is a 65 page ‘hOle Book’. Stamped with a characteristic hole in its upper right-hand corner, the books in this series are simple chapter books meant for young readers who are slowly making the shift from picture books to something more text-heavy. While this might seem like a pointless aesthetic addition to adults, children love it. The presence of any unconventional element always grabs kids’ attention and adds a special character to an otherwise ordinary object. This reviewer’s niece immediately stuck her little finger in the hole and played around with the book, hugging it to her chest like she would one of her dolls (she also read the book of her own volition because once the hole grabbed her attention, the already captivating story had her hooked). Susie Will Not Speak is, however, memorable for more than just a gaping circle. The book’s eponymous protagonist is a girl with a lisp that causes her to pronounce ‘s’ sounds as ‘t’ instead. Sick of the insensitivity of people who make fun of her, Susie decides to give up speaking altogether. It is up to her best friend Jahan to talk her into talking again. The book is peppered with adorable illustrations by Lavanya Naidu.
Instead of joining his peers in making fun of her speech impediment, the book’s second protagonist, Jahan, treats Susie with empathy and respect. They form a beautiful friendship and with encouragement and support from Jahan and her own family, Susie is able to begin overcoming her speech impediment. The book is a delightful, incredibly relatable tale of overcoming odds, friendship and perseverance. Rao doesn’t beat around the bush—Susie loses her voice quite literally on account of the bullying she faces. She takes agency through words instead, by communicating with those around her through pen and paper. Though its message may seem overt to adult readers, Rao’s symbolic treatment of Susie’s silence is able to convey to her young readers the importance of being able to speak freely. Without any blatant moralizing, Rao shows her audience the power of empathy—of treating others with equal dignity and respect, even if they may not look, speak or act the same way that you do.
Amanda D’Souza is a magazine editor by profession and a writer by passion. She has a penchant for puns, a fondness for fiction, a love for literature and an affection for alliteration.
Review Details
</strong>