Moses Sees a Play - Hardcover

Isaac Millman is the author and illustrator of three other books about Moses ("[A] great contribution," praised School Library Journal). He lives in New York City.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-In this engaging installment in the series about a hearing-impaired boy, Moses's class is joined by a group of hearing children from another school and the students are treated to a production of Cinderella by the Little Theatre of the Deaf. As the two classes intermingle prior to entering the gym, Moses meets Manuel, a new immigrant who does not yet speak English. The two boys develop a rapport, especially since "Moses knows how lonely it can be when no one understands you," and they communicate through gestures. The performance of the immediately recognizable fairy tale makes the signs and body language of the actors more accessible to both the children within the story and to readers. Insets in most of the spreads show Moses and later the performers demonstrating relevant American Sign Language. The colorful artwork is filled with enthusiastic kids with expressive features set against realistic school backdrops. This book not only familiarizes and sensitizes children to the culture of the deaf or hard-of-hearing community, but also tells an appealing story. Millman draws a parallel between the challenges faced by ESL students and those who do not hear and in so doing raises youngsters' general levels of awareness and empathy.-Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA
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