Silence Is Goldfish

by Annabel Pitcher Narrated by Jayne Entwistle

Overview

My name is Tess Turner--at least, that's what I've always been told.

I have a voice but it isn't mine. It used to say things so I'd fit in, to please my parents, to please my teachers. It used to tell the universe I was something I wasn't. It lied.

It never occurred to me that everyone else was lying too.

Fifteen-year-old Tess doesn't mean to become mute. At first, she's just too shocked to speak. And who wouldn't be? Discovering your whole life has been a lie because your dad isn't your real father is a pretty big deal. Terrified of the truth, Tess retreats into silence.

Reeling from her family's betrayal, Tess sets out to discover the identity of her real father. He could be anyone--even the familiar-looking teacher at her school. Tess continues to investigate, uncovering a secret that could ruin multiple lives. It all may be too much for Tess to handle, but how can she ask for help when she's forgotten how to use her voice?

In a brilliant study of identity, betrayal, and complex family dynamics, award-winning author Annabel Pitcher explores the importance of communication, even when we're faced with unspeakable truths.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for Silence is Goldfish:
* "Pitcher delivers a story of betrayal and miscues among family and friends with a realistic blend of humor and gravity as Tess slides toward mental instability. An unflinchingly honest portrayal of anguish."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

* "Pitcher (My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece) returns with a memorably offbeat novel narrated by 15-year-old Tess, who decides to stop speaking...It's a painful but rewarding story of an insecure teen finding her voice."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Captivating...Tess's struggle as she discovers her parents and teachers are flawed human beings will ring true with teens coming to their own similar realizations. A recommended purchase where contemporary coming-of-age stories are in demand."—School Library Journal

"Her narrative voice speaks loudly—Tess is a witty, energetic, and appealing protagonist."—The Horn Book

"Pitcher's smooth writing offers clear insight into all of Tess's heartfelt emotions, and she constructs a complex plot around Tess, her family, Mr. Richardson, and all the intertwined relationships at school. The characters are layered and flawed...Readers who like quirky, angsty characters who triumph over both themselves and their oppressors will enjoy this tale."—VOYA















"In Tess, Pitcher crafts an engaging and honest...narrator. While so many YA contemporaries put teenage romantic relationships front and center, this refreshing story is firmly focused at home on questions of identity and family. Though many readers will predict the ending, they will nevertheless enjoy the journey."
—Booklist

"The strength of this emotionally wrought, introspective novel lies in the character of Tess, the clarity of her voice, and the odd but wonderful relationship she has with the Jiminy Cricket-like Mr. Goldfish...An engrossing character study of a girl in crisis, this novel is perfect for readers who appreciate realistic heroines who solve their own problems."—BCCB

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2016-01-20
Unable to face a devastating secret, 15-year-old Tess tries unsuccessfully to run away to London. Her ordinary family life in Manchester with two loving parents is upended when she sees a blog entry on her actor father's computer that reveals not only that she was conceived by a sperm donor, but that Jack never wanted her. She tries to tell her only real friend, Isabel, but can't. Nor can she admit to her parents that she knows they've been lying to her all of her life. After a disastrous attempt to deliver her single line in a local theatrical production of Peter Pan to Jack, who's playing Capt. Hook, Tess falls into an unbreakable silence, unable to release the "noiseless thunder" of her conflicting emotions. Stream-of-consciousness narration revealing Tess' internal struggle gives way to silent dialogue with a goldfish-shaped flashlight in her pocket. "Mr. Goldfish" becomes her confidant and anchor as she tries to pinpoint signs of Jack's unfatherly behavior, "swimming" through the air in her imagination and providing enthusiastic commentary. Tess, a big—some might say fat—white girl, invites readers into her alienation with a sort of savage intimacy. Pitcher delivers a story of betrayal and miscues among family and friends with a realistic blend of humor and gravity as Tess slides toward mental instability. An unflinchingly honest portrayal of anguish. (Fiction. 12-17)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169974638
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	05/17/2016
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

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