Shay Abigail, a recent graduate of Lamar University in Texas, has become a published children’s book author, with the hopes of breaking down barriers.
Abigail graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in American Sign Language (ASL).
The 22-year old realized that there weren’t many children’s books that featured a deaf child as the main character. So she decided to write one.
“A child’s perspective on disability on deafness, it’s not a how to, it’s not an instructional manual. It’s really just about a child,” Abigail said.
The aim of her book, titled “My Name is Maya,” is to show children with auditory disabilities that they are represented and aren’t alone in their ambitions.
“Just because I use ASL or I’m deaf doesn’t mean that I can’t have a career as an astronaut or an artist or whatever I want to be,” said Abigail.
Each page in the book has ASL as the page numbers and ASL signs in the illustrations.
“[In] the back of the book, there are some vocabulary that is used in the book that are used in ASL and also the ASL alphabet,” she said.
Abigail is a hearing person and as such, was nervous writing a book about the deaf community but she knew this book would be a great opportunity for all, hearing or not.
“[It’s] for deaf children and also just people, anyone, to learn more about ASL in the deaf community and hopefully reach out to, you know, a deaf person or hard of hearing person,” Abigail said.
“My Name is Maya” features a deaf girl, Maya, as the main character and focuses on how her dreams and how she navigates the world.
“It’s a sneak peek into how she communicates with her family, with her siblings with her dog. How she’s able to go to school, and just all about what makes her super, including her super language, which is American Sign Language,” Abigail said.
You can purchase “My Name is Maya” on www.andonthisfarm.com.
