Signs of Friendship

by Annie Silvestro, Ziyue Chen (Illustrator)

Two best friends, one deaf and one hearing, grow a garden and make room for a new friend in this heartwarming picture book perfect for fans of Apryl Stott and Kaz Windness.

Sally and Sonia met when they were very small. As they grew, their friendship grew, too. And when they realized Sonia struggled to hear, they learned sign language together. One day, Sally has an to plant a garden with her best friend.

But when a new neighbor named Dev moves in with his puppy, Sonia spends so much time with them that she doesn’t seem to remember Sally at all. Can Sally find a way to share her feelings with Sonia—and maybe even welcome Dev as a new friend?

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Disability, Childrens, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

Annie Silvestro is a lover of books who reads and writes as much as possible and can often be found shuffling piles of them around so she has a place to sit or someplace to put her teacup. Her picture books include BUNNY’S BOOK CLUB, illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss (Doubleday), MICE SKATING, illustrated by Teagan White (Sterling, Fall 2017), and THE CHRISTMAS TREE WHO LOVED TRAINS, illustrated by Paola Zakimi (HarperCollins, Fall 2018). Annie lives with her family by the beach in New Jersey. Visit Annie online at: www.anniesilvestro.com and on Twitter and Instagram: @anniesilvestro

Reviews

[Greer Rutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

ok the representation in this book was amazing AND teaching kids how to expand the friend group? yes please!!!!

[A Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet story that has a central character who is hard of hearing and uses sign language, but with a plot that has a lot more substance to it than just that. Sally and Sonia have met when they were "smaller than small" and "as they grew, their friendship grew too." "When it became clear that Sonia struggled to hear, their families learned sign language and talked with their hands." The children have a clubhouse, full of Sonia's art and Sally's books, and the pair grow a garden together. Then, a new neighbor, Dev, introduces himself and his puppy, Pops. While Sonia is excited about the puppy, Sally does not like that the dog jumps and licks. Then, when the first tomato appears in their garden, Sally races to share the news with Sonia only to learn that she is at Dev's house and suddenly Sally doesn't like Dev so much. Sally wants to tear down all of Sonia's artwork in the clubhouse, but instead she builds a wall of books to hide behind. Then, when Dev accidentally lets go of Pops's leash and Pops destroys the garden, Sally is storms off in anger. When Sally returns, Sonia has fixed as much of the garden as she could and Sally says, "So, I guess Dev is your best friend now?" Sonia reassures Sally that they are still best friends and tells Sally that Dev is missing his own best friend since moving. Then, Sally wants to invite Dev and Pops to their clubhouse! Dev makes a "Friendship Garden" sign and asks for Sally's help learning sign language at the end. I love that the illustrator was a deaf child and talks in the illustrator's note about the importance of having deaf children represented in books. I also love that this book touches on Sally managing her hurt feelings and empathizing with Dev when she learns that he is missing his own best friend.

[Aolund · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story about welcoming change and new friends into existing friendships. I couldn't help reading it and being like, is this about polyamory? One of the books' two central characters is hard of hearing, and I really appreciated the way the book included sign language throughout the whole story, centralizing it without making the story about the character's partial deafness.

Themes: Social Emotional Learning, Deafness, Sign Language, Friendship
age range: Kindergarten-Early Elementary

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that this book features a character who happens to sign, but it is not ABOUT being deaf or needing to sign. It’s lovely.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrator is a Singaporean who is deaf!! Appreciate the author's note about how friendship can come in any language, communication connects us, and learning how to express yourself is important. Resources in the back of the book for ASL along with a page on how to sign some basic phrases. Multiple sentences per page. About two girls who are best friends, one goes deaf, they both learn to sign. A new boy with a puppy moves into the neighborhood and the deaf girl feels left out because her friend makes friends with him. The puppy destroys the girls' garden but the boy apologizes, and the girls work out their friendship and invite the boy to be their friend too. The boy also begins to learn how to sign. Illustrations are bright and animated. Deaf representation is great and drawn by a deaf illustrator. The deaf girl is Brown, her best girl friend is White, and the boy is Black. Teaches kids about communication and friendship!

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about friendship. Two girls are best friends. They do everything together. They have a tree house and a garden together. One day, a new neighbor shows up and feelings get hurt.

One girl is deaf and she uses sign language. The book does a beautiful job showing how to use the hands as part of the story. It's lovely.

There is a lot of drama and patching things up. Friendship can be hard.

The artwork is digital. Everyone will want a treehouse like the one the girls have. The garden looks like something children would build as well. It's well done.

Kids who love stories about friends will love this.

[Lesli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about friendship, making new friends, jealousy, and welcoming everyone, with a side of sign language. It's nice to have a story that isn't about learning to sign, but is about friendship - a universal theme that all children can relate to. Great backmatter with simple signs for children to learn and resources. The artist is also deaf and wanted to illustrate a story that she connected with.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sally and Sonia have been friends since they were little. Sonia struggles to hear so her family and friends, including Sally, learn to sign. The two continue to do everything together until a new child move into the neighborhood. Sonia feels left behind as Sally plays with Dev and is more open to having him join them. Sonia learns that friendships can expand and include more than two people. Silvestro includes several simple signs at the end of the story.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is centered around a girl who is hearing and a girl who is deaf, the two learn to communicate using sign language. They develop a strong friendship in the process.
This book could be used during a lesson about inclusion or empathy, it introduces students to different communication styles and how communication can build a friendship.

[ebigeyl]

staff rec blurb, holiday catalog 25: Signs of Friendship follows best friends Sonia and Sally, one deaf and one hearing. While this book wonderfully represents children with disabilities, it also focuses on topics like jealousy, inclusion, acceptance, and changing dynamics within a growing friend group—something all kids can relate to!

[Haley Boggess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a precious story about two girls learning to navigate friendships and being upset with your friends sometimes. One of the girls is partially deaf so they also learn sign language together which is so sweet.

[Ossy Firstan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sally & Sonia berteman sejak balita. Salah satunya tuli, dan mereka selalu bermain bersama. Suatu hari seorang teman baru datang bersama anjingnya yg lucu. Bagaimana mereka menerima kehadiran teman baru? Kurasa buku ini hangat dan seru ^^

[MaryAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sally and Sonia have been friends since they were very small. As Sonia begins to lose her hearing, Sally learns sign language along side her. All is well until Dev moves into the neighborhood and Sonia thinks Sally now has a new best friends. Cute but realistic story.

[Beth Kakuma-Depew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story, and I like how the end pages show some signs that can be incorporated into the story.

[Milagros Ledford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story about friendship and the challenges that go along with it.

[Shanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute book about sign language and friendship.

#WeNeedDiverseBooks

Mia’s 2nd Year of Books: Day 149

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two friends who love to garden meet a new neighbor who changes their friendship. Love that one is deaf and signing is used throughout the book. Elementary and up.

[Angela De Groot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet story about friendship, conflict, feelings, and communication.

[Kelly]

A little clunky because "signed" is used in literally every sentence (it doesn't have any synonyms like talked, said, etc.).

[Catarina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one would make a great gift book for your best friend’s children. This was a wonderful tale about friendship and how things can change quickly, but you’ll always have your best friend. I really enjoyed the addition of sign language added into the story.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the fact that the illustrator Ziyue Chen grew up deaf and this led to her discovering of how art communicates with a viewer or reader. True friendship is when you accept the person for who they are and this book presents that concept to the reader. The diversity of the characters carries on that acceptance concept.

I shared this book with our American Sign Language teacher, and she loved it too.

[Library To-Go]

11/12/25: Little Magnolia & Pediatrust - JB
01/14/25: Play & Learn - JB