Dust

Hard-of-hearing Thea, 16, feels isolated: her family refuses to learn American Sign Language, and with no internet or phone access, she has no way of contacting the friends she left behind in Ohio following her family’s abrupt move to a homestead in Bloodless Valley, Colo. What’s more, her father’s extremist views around farming, school, and gender roles have only worsened since the move. Her solitary solace is her job at a local café where her boss encourages her to spend time at the library across the street. There, Thea meets a rural outreach agent and his cute great-nephew Ray, 16 and also hard of hearing. Thea has never met another deaf teen before and is intrigued by Ray and his ability to sign. As Thea forges tentative relationships with the people around her, she also begins falling for Ray. Soon dust storms, locust swarms, and water shortages threaten her family’s farm, and with her parents refusing help, Thea worries for their survival. In her YA debut, Stine (Trashlands, for adults) pulls from personal experience, as detailed in an author’s note, to craft an atmospheric, speculative exploration of climate change through the lens of one deaf teen’s experiences. Characters cue as white. Ages 13–up. Agent: Eric Smith, PS Literary. (Dec.)