Simply JoshAfter an intense battle with sickness as an infant, Joshua was lucky to be alive. As a result, Joshua's body would heal, but the infection left him Deaf. The struggles that awaited him would take more than medicine to conquer. They would take determination and resolve. While many people attempt to quiet their lives to find peace, Joshua struggled to navigate a silent world, a world that often reinforced his suspicion that he could not succeed. However, with the undying love of his family and the unyielding support of his mentors and instructors, Joshua takes readers on his journey to conquer stereotypes, prejudice, and his own attitudes. Readers see the world through his eyes, as Joshua explores the quiet, vivid, and elaborately metaphoric Library, the sanctuary that houses the symbolic archives of memories that make him who he is. Follow Joshua the Librarian as he becomes a traveler, reaching outside the confines of his quiet surroundings and joining a larger world that dramatically alters his perceptions. Despite feeling so alone inside the confines of his own world, with seemingly unanswered prayers, he finally realizes that he has never been alone. With elaborate imagery, he inspires readers that they, too, can succeed and change. |
Contents
Preface | 13 |
Welcome to the World | 15 |
The Librarian | 29 |
An Unexpected Metamorphosis | 57 |
Back to the Beginning | 69 |
My Mother My Hero | 87 |
Christina My Sister | 101 |
Food Love and Religion | 115 |
Boy Interrupted | 143 |
The Lamentations of the Librarian | 159 |
Are You There God? Its Me | 177 |
My Stepdad | 195 |
Aunt Friend and Mentor | 209 |
The Ivory Tower | 219 |
The Last Door | 235 |
Common terms and phrases
able accept ADHD American Sign Language anointed asked Aunt Julie bathroom beautiful became become Blue Fairy body child Christian Christina Christmas Click cochlear implants cold Deaf culture Deaf person didn’t door dreams everything eyes face fact father favorite feel felt floor friends front Gallaudet University grabbed Grandma Grandmother happened happy hard hearing aids heart helped high school I’ve important inside Joel Osteen Josh Joshua knew Lamentation learned librarian light Lord memories mind mirror Mommy mother mouth never Oak Elementary School okay Oklahoma opened Pinocchio portrait prayer problems rabbit realize Red Oak Elementary relationship scream seemed showed sighed sign language sister sitting smile someone speech therapy stood story sure talk teacher tell Thank things thought tion took understand understood Velveteen Rabbit voice walked wanted Westmoore High School young