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A Quiet Kind of Thunder

by Sara Barnard

Narrator Lauren Irwin

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Length 9 hours 49 minutes

Language English

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Summary
About the author
About the narrator

Perfect for fans of Morgan Matson and Jandy Nelson.

Steffi doesn't talk, but she has so much to say.

Rhys can't hear, but he can listen.

Steffi has been a selective mute for most of her life. The condition's name has always felt ironic to her, because she certainly does not "select" not to speak. In fact, she would give anything to be able to speak as easily and often as everyone around her can. She suffers from crippling anxiety, and uncontrollably, in most situations simply can't open her mouth to get out the words.

Steffi's been silent for so long that she feels completely invisible. But Rhys, the new boy at school, sees her. He's deaf, and her knowledge of basic sign language means that she's assigned to help him acclimate. To Rhys, it doesn't matter that Steffi doesn't talk. As they find ways to communicate, Steffi discovers that she does have a voice, and that she's falling in love with the one person who makes her feel brave enough to use it. But as she starts to overcome a lifelong challenge, she'll soon confront questions about the nature of her own identity and the very essence of what it is to know another person.

Romance YA Fiction Perspectives on Disability

Sara Barnard is the author of Fragile Like Us; A Quiet Kind of Thunder; Goodbye, Perfect; and Destination Anywhere. She lives in Brighton, England, with her husband and their grumpy cat. She studied American literature with creative writing at university and never stopped reading YA. She has lived in Canada, interrailed through Europe, and once spent the night in an ice hotel. She thinks sad books are good for the soul and happy books lift the heart. She hopes to write lots of books that do both.

Lauren Irwin began her career on the prestigious stages of London's West End. By age nine she was cast in Annie (Victoria Palace) and Oliver (Theatre Royal), and had made her film debut in Heart (with Matthew Rhys and Rhys Iffans). More recently, she played a lead role in the movie Lingaa opposite Indian legend Superstar Rajinikanth, which broke box office records, and she recurred on Hallmark's The Eleventh, where she starred alongside the late Oscar winner Cloris Leachman. As a pop singer, Lauren began her career as part of British teen band Just 3 (HHO Records, Junior Eurovision runner up) and went on as a solo artist to release her self penned track "Stand Tall" (available on iTunes), which was chosen to become the official song for the Beijing Olympics. After the tragic Sichuan earthquake, she rereleased it in Mandarin as an earthquake relief fundraiser, and went on to tour China on behalf of the cause-at one point performing for a live broadcast to over 800 million people. A documentary was made about her work with child earthquake victims, titled Lauren's Journal and broadcast by MTV Asia. She was made Youth Ambassador to the United Nations. As a narrator, Lauren has recorded many titles, including the New York Times bestseller The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. She is an AudioFile Earphones Award winner, and is the voice of the world-famous Peppa Pig audiobook series.