Of Sound Mind | 
 enlarge | Author: Jean Ferris
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Category: Book
List Price: $6.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 446341
Media: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.6
ISBN: 0374455848
EAN: 9780374455842
ASIN: 0374455848
Publication Date: April 2, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com Review
Jean Ferris gives the tried-and-true coming-of-age story an unusual and refreshing twist with this young adult novel about a high school senior who is the only "hearie" in his deaf family. Frustrated daily by his family's demands and depressed by the silence that dominates his house, Theo seeks solace with thoughtful, purple-haired Ivy. Ivy, also the hearing child of a deaf parent, understands better than anyone what Theo is going through. But after his dad suffers a stroke, Theo fears that his wants and needs, especially concerning Ivy and college, will be swallowed whole by the responsibility of caring for his egotistical artist mom and clingy younger brother. Does Theo have the strength to change his fate? By turns both comical and gut-wrenching, Of Sound Mind joins the ranks of other stellar quirky teen boy novels like Rats Saw God and Tribute to Another Dead Rock Star. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert
Product Description
A poignant novel partially set in a world of silenceHigh school senior Theo is fluent in two languages: spoken English and sign. His parents and brother, Jeremy, are deaf, but Theo can hear, which has over the years cast him in the role of interpreter for his family. Unfortunately, it's not a welcome duty, especially in the case of his mother, Palma. She is a successful sculptor who, being deeply suspicious of "hearies," expects Theo to act as her business manager. And Jeremy relies on Theo for company and homework help. It's become especially frustrating lately because Theo has met a fascinating new girl at school, Ivy, with whom he wants to spend as much time as possible. Theo's father, Thomas, is the only one who has never burdened him, but that changes when Thomas has a stroke. Palma, frightened and self-absorbed, cannot bring herself to nurse her husband, leaving Theo with the full burden to bear. But with the help of Ivy and some of her friends, Theo is finally able to change his family's dynamics and find time to plan his future.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 A mind-stretching read October 26, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
In "Of Sound Mind" we get a glimpse of the world through the eyes of good kid who has a whole lot on his plate. Theo struggles with that huge task that all adolescents face--defining himself as separate from his family without abandoning the important ties that bind. Most high school seniors have to go through some version of this struggle to define boundaries between self and family--that demanding mother who seems to undermine every move toward independence, that father whose loving support can't last forever, that clinging kid brother too lovable to push away. Is it their deafness which makes his family seem so "other," or is it just his own need to grow into his best self? As Theo straddles the chasm between the deaf and the hearing he shows us a different view of the world. Thanks, Jean Ferris, for a great read that stretches our minds around a new dimension of our common human experience.
Janet Gingold
author of Finch Goes Wild
unique and thought provoking May 27, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Of Sound Mind doesn't fit into any neat little box in my head. Though there is a sort of romance in it, it isn't anything like a typical teen romance book. The real story is about family relationships. It's a young adult novel, best for around age 12 plus. It's contemporary fiction, and a good read for both genders.
The central character is a high school senior named Theo. Theo is a gifted math student, but otherwise we know very little about his life at school. The majority of the novel is set at Theo's home, where he is the only hearing person. His high-strung, artist mother is deaf, as is his more level-headed Dad and his gentle younger brother, Jeremy. Theo is the family interpreter, a role that he resents yet is also proud of fulfilling. He's been the main source of communication with the hearing world since he was very young, and he has perfected the art of selective translation. When his mother signs rudely and accuses her dealer of not preparing adequately for her upcoming art show, Theo paraphrases her concerns very creatively. Thus he is not just passing on her words and changing them from ASL (American Sign Language) to spoken English, he is also thinking on his feet and ad libbing. It's no wonder that Theo finds interpreting for his mother to be exhausting!
Theo meets a girl who recognizes his ASL "muttering" and his initial reaction is to stay away from her. He's uncomfortable being known as the kid with deaf parents, and he feels like he fits neither here nor there, not quite belonging to either the deaf culture or that of the hearing world. He doesn't want to be seen at school talking in ASL. Nevertheless, he begins to watch for this new girl, and soon enough, they are good friends. Ivy helps Theo to see everything in a new light.
The author obviously knows her subject matter. She paints a realistic portrait, with plenty of subtle details that show her understanding of ASL and deaf culture. The deep suspicion that Theo's mother holds toward people with hearing, the terrible affront of her turning her back on someone during conversation, and Theo's wish that he could eavesdrop on his father and brother, who are in a different room; these all enrich the novel and give it life.
There were a few things I didn't like about this book. I would have enjoyed reading more about Theo's friends at school, and about his passion for math. A little too much attention seems focused on Ivy and her special interest. I got rather bored with the endless list of culinary delights. Overall though, this is a gem of a story, well told and original.
 The non-hearies May 25, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Of Sound Mind, by Jean Ferris
Have you ever wondered how difficult life would be if you were deaf? Well Theo, Thomas and Pamela's son, has a hard time just dealing with his own problems. Not to mention that he runs his parents lives and his brother Jeremy's too. Theo's family is all deaf except for him. Theo is that only one that can hear. He has more responsibilities than I thought a 15 year old could have.
Theo manages his family's affairs and his own personal life which his mother doesn't think that he needs. She thinks that he is only there to be her personal interpreter and whatever else that she can think of. Let's just say that Pamela is very conceited. She only thinks of her self and what she needs. Thomas, on the other hand, doesn't like to ask Theo for help. He tries to avoid asking Theo for help because he knows that Theo already has his hands full with other things. Like Thomas, Jeremy doesn't like to ask for Theo's help either, but he has a hard time in school. So he has to ask some of the time because he doesn't understand a lot of things about what they are doing in school. My favorite thing Jeremy ever said was " Hearie." I thought that it was really funny because he was referring to people that can hear. While Theo is helping his family and all of this is going on, he meets a new girl named Ivy. She has a deaf father so they have a lot in common. Their personalities hit it off right away. Theo and Ivy become the best of friends and even date. But something bad happens to Theo's father and Theo just shuts everyone out including Ivy. I guess you'll have to read that book to find out what happens to Theo's father and Ivy.
Jean Ferris does a great job with suspense in her realistic fiction book Of Sound Mind because I couldn't put the book down every time I went to read it. I really liked this book because I could relate to what was happening to Theo. I have a very busy life and so does Theo. By reading this book, I realized that I don't have it so bad. For a rating I would give it 5 out of 5 because I really liked it, and I thought that it was a page turner.
Of Sound Mind Review May 25, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Ages 11 and up. "Of Sound Mind" is about high school senior Theo, who is your average, everyday higschooler. He plays basketball with friends, goes through the motions of school everyday and avoids being with his parents -mostly his mother- at all costs. But a catch is that Theo's entire family, consisting of his younger brother Jeremy, who is in the 5th grade, his mother, a prema-donna, and his father, a humble carpenter, are all deaf. Theo is stuck in between a deaf world and a hearing world, where he is his family's only line to the outside world. This book follows him as he goes through high school, meets new friends,and faces the challenges of everyday life -for himself and his family. Full of themes and life lessons about everything from love to self-identity, this book is a feel-good book for readers, showing insight into the lives of those who are deaf and live with deaf people. Also full of emotion, you won't want to read this one without a tissue box beside you.
Verrrry Great Book April 24, 2006
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
This book discusses the chaos of normal teenage life without having normal circumstances. I learned ASL after reading this book.
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