In Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John, Piper, an 18-year-old deaf high school senior, becomes the manager of her school's rock band, Dumb, after offering insightful advice on capitalizing their local fame. Despite social challenges and internal band conflicts, Piper leads the group to improve their sound, enhances their online presence, and secures paying gigs, ultimately facing personal and professional obstacles to help Dumb achieve local recognition.

Inspirational

Emotional

Challenging

Heartwarming

Humorous

Reviews & Readership

4.1

9,857 ratings

67%

Loved it

23%

Mixed feelings

10%

Not a fan

Review Roundup

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John offers a compelling and heartwarming story, praised for its authentic depiction of teenage life and the challenges of deafness. Critics laud its diverse and well-developed characters, though some feel certain plot points are predictable. Overall, it successfully balances humor and emotion, making it a standout read for young adults.

Who Should Read Five Flavors of Dumb?

A reader who would enjoy Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John is likely a fan of contemporary young adult fiction with strong character development and themes of self-discovery. Similar readers may appreciate books like If I Stay by Gayle Forman and Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. Enthusiasts of music and coming-of-age stories will find this novel particularly engaging.

4.1

9,857 ratings

67%

Loved it

23%

Mixed feelings

10%

Not a fan

Fun Facts

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John won the 2011 Schneider Family Book Award from the American Library Association, which honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.

The book was partly inspired by Antony John's own experiences with hearing loss, as he had significant hearing issues and used a hearing aid during his childhood.

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The novel emphasizes diverse themes and has been praised for its authentic portrayal of a protagonist navigating both the world of music and the challenges of deafness in a high school setting.

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Book Details

Pages

368

Format

Novel • Fiction

Genre

Romance

•

Realistic Fiction

•

Modern Classic Fiction

Setting

Seattle, Washington • 2000s

Theme

Love

Topic

Disability

•

Music

Publication Year

2010

Audience