Tom is severely deaf. He wears hearing aids, but these can be confusing. He lipreads too, and is learning signing. We see him at school using various mechanical aids, and we lean about his being bullied and called stupid because of his disability. We also see him playing with friends, though. There is an excellent section on his twice yearly visits to the hearing clinic, his being tested and having new ear molds made. One good aspect of this book is that the page numbers and many of the words in the text are signed. There is also a full signed alphabet. This is a really excellent book on being deaf - the problems, the help available, and even the positive aspects. The illustrations are bright and approachable, and Tom, who is black, is seen as an ordinary, happy boy.