Price: £7
|
Give Me a Sign by Shanta Everington
“I have to listen very hard to hear what he says. Watching his mouth helps but it makes me blush. He’s staring at mine. Just like he was staring at that girl’s the other day. So maybe she’s not his girlfriend, after all...”
Do you ever feel that life isn´t turning out quite as you planned?
Meet Liz. Bullied at college, disillusioned at home and seriously lacking in self-esteem, Liz has to contend with the Russell twins, a man in pyjamas sharing her mum´s bed, and size 9 feet.
Do you ever wish that you could find someone who really ´gets´ you?
Meet Doug. Gorgeous, strong willed and unlike anyone Liz has ever met, Doug transforms the way Liz looks at herself and her life. And for the first time ever, Liz is actually happy.
Two great people from very different worlds = one amazing relationship.
They say opposites attract. But will the gap between Liz and Doug prove too much to handle?
About the book
Teenage/Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 978-0-9556725-2-1
Paperback
Pages: 142
Released: 1st July 2008
Struggling with the loss of her father, and the hostility of bullies at school, when Liz meets Doug she sees a chance for happiness. But discovering that Doug is deaf brings a whole new challenge into Liz’s life. As Liz and Doug’s relationship unfolds, ´Give Me A Sign´ offers a story about how we interpret ourselves as well as others; about the similarities and differences which make us who we are, and the gaps we bridge when we follow our hearts.
Whilst experiencing the dysfunction of the adult world, as Liz learns sign language, misses text messages and gets confused about emails, she is led to discover the place in herself where she must root her life.
Everington creates a convincing and magnetic voice of a teenage girl trying to face her every-day challenge with self esteem, self discovery and making sense of the world. Written with the tone of a diary, Give Me A Sign is an accessible and contemporary story of teenage romance, communication and understanding.
Reviews
´So intense, so sweet, so heartbreaking. Everington taps right into the wavering self esteem of a teenage girl and Liz is an utterly believable character ... [´Give Me A Sign´] packs an emotional punch far above [its] weight.´ – The Bookbag
´A consistently well-written and engaging story of first love and finding your place in the world. Highly recommended.´ – Chicklish, The UK´s Teen Fiction Site
´Truly a 21st century love story with a strong message. Buy this book now and I guarantee you won´t regret it!´ – I-Mag
´Fantastic writing that handles issues sensitively and with total confidence. Liz and Doug´s story is one anyone and everyone can relate to – and that´s the magic of this book. I couldn´t put it down.´ – Rae Earl, author of My Fat, Mad Teenage Diary
´Sensitive, confident and thought provoking, Shanta Everington writes with a convincing awareness and in a persuasive teenage voice. Liz and Doug offer a contemporary twist in a story of first love, first heartbreak and the finding of self. What lifts this story into a socially aware and worthwhile read for any young adult, is the exploration of the prejudices that govern reactions and opinions.´ – Caroline Smailes, author of In Search of Adam
´Shanta has a very special gift as a writer. In such a short period of time, you come to understand and feel for the character at the heart of the story. She has a unique ability to make you excited, scared, nervous, heartbroken or even full of hope right along with her character ... It´s [a] magical touch … For anyone looking for a fresh and wonderful new author, look no further than Shanta Everington. You will not regret it.´
– Brian Gardener, a reader from Salt Lake City, United States.
´Everington´s book is funny and observant .... A fantastic book for young adults - and for more middle-aged ones, too.´
– One in Seven magazine [Book of the month, 4/5 stars]
´A bittersweet story of first love, with a disability twist ... I would recommend this book to the young (perhaps not the very young, because of the references to sex!) and the young at heart.´
– Disability Now
´This book has an amazing message [and] was an amazing glimpse upon English culture … At the end, it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.´
– Avni Gupta (age 15) for Reader Views Kids
Author interviews
BBC (click here) - interviewed for Ouch!, the BBC’s online disability magazine. Find out about the life of a disabled author writing about issues of disability.. and amongst other things, who Shanta’s ideal dinner guest is...!
Disability Now (click here) - Find out about the relevance of disability in the author´s own life.
ChickLish.co.uk (click here) - Discover the inspiration behind ´Give Me A Sign´.
Caroline Smailes´ blog (click here) (author of In Search of Adam - Read Shanta’s advice on getting published, as well as her insider info about the publishing industry and insights into the life of this talented new author.
|
)
