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A Silent Voice
What if the bully is the one who has to learn to live with himself? A Silent Voice goes there. 🤟
Who it's for
Shoya bullies Shoko, a deaf transfer student, in elementary school, and when adults finally intervene, his classmates turn on him, leaving him isolated through high school.
Feelings it meets
What it is
A Silent Voice is a seven-volume manga by Yoshitoki Oima, serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine from 2013 to 2014. In elementary school, Shoya Ishida leads his class in bullying Shoko Nishimiya, a deaf transfer student; when the bullying is discovered, Shoya becomes the scapegoat and is socially isolated through high school.
Where to find it
In print; widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) (Kodansha Comics, 7 volumes). The 2016 anime film is available on streaming. Still in copyright.
Before you start
Heads up: Suicide attempt and severe bullying.
Age: Ages 14+
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori.Wilfred Owen, Poems, “Dulce et Decorum Est”
