Maryam Master, No Words, Pan Macmillan Australia, July 2022, 224 pp., RRP $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760983529
Words have power.
Hero Jean Rodriguez is navigating the treacherous waters of her first year of high school. Her home is a loving one, where her dad has his UP days and his DOWN days. There’s no fuss made about his condition: just acceptance and love.
Hero and her best friend Jaz, who is fearless and outspoken, befriend a new boy at school, Aria, who is a mystery. He has kind eyes. And a sometimes-mischievous smile. But no words. None. It’s literally like someone pointed the remote at his mouth and pressed the mute button, and they become a dorky gang of three misfits.
Kids like Aria will always attract bullies like bees to the honey, and the resident school bully, referred to as ‘Rufus Doofus’ has set his sights on Aria. Readers will relate to the pain a bully can inflict, both physical and emotional.
Various fonts and font-sizes are used through the text to emphasise particular words and phrases. Chapters narrated by Aria have a mixture of English and Farsi letters scattered across the top of the page.
Aria slowly reveals his story, sharing with us his life in Iran; going to school and hanging out with his best friend Amir, before his family flee for their lives and eventually settle in Australia. It is a harrowing story but told in an age-appropriate way.
Master uses humour to tackle serious issues: mental health, bullying, grief and loss and the obstacles faced by refugees. I learnt many things about Persian culture from this novel, and young readers will absorb these nuggets of information which will feed their empathy for others.
Ultimately, No Words is about the healing power of love, friendship, and kindness. Highly recommended for readers 9+.
It would make an excellent class text and is particularly relevant in light of Australia’s refugee policies. The publisher provides Teaching Notes.
Reviewed by Gaby Meares
