Emma watched, but there were no sounds in her world.  No
    gurgle from the bubbles in her soda.  There was only splash
    and sparkle in her drink.  No crispy sounds from the candy
    wrappers people opened.  There was only a good taste to
    her lips.  Only silence!  Not even whispers.  

    Emma visualized sounds because she was born deaf.  If
    Emma was deaf, why did her mom take her to a concert?
    Let’s see how she heard music!  Let’s find out what Emma’s
    House of Sound was like!

    Emma watched the bandleader raise his baton.  The
    musicians stood still with their shoulders firm.  They were
    ready to play.  “Zzzzzz!”  “Tat a tat!”  “Bang!”  

    She stretched her neck and saw the band leader pointing his
    baton at the musicians.  Her feet tapped as she gazed.  She
    was excited!  She loved music!

    She swayed as she watched the man beating the drums.  
    “Boom! Thump!”  She imagined these sounds.

    “Bang! Roar!”  She anticipated the notes blasted from the
    trumpets.

    The cymbals slammed. “Crash!” “Smash!”

    Emma smiled.  The audience applauded. Emma clapped her
    hands, too.

    She reached for her mother’s hand.  She looked up and
    heard the whispering clouds humming as they floated in the
    blue sky.  That is how she listened to the next song.
Book Excerpt
Book Excerpt