The Lost Language
by Claudia MillsPublished by: Margaret Ferguson Books on October 12, 2021
Genres: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Poetry
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
The quest to save the words of a dying language - and to find the words to save what may be a dying friendship - lies at the heart of this exquisite verse novel.
Sixth grader Betsy is the one who informs her best friend, Lizard, that thousands of the world's languages are currently threatened by extinction; Betsy's mother is a linguistics professor working frantically to study dying languages before they are lost forever. But it is Lizard who, gripped by the magnitude of this loss, challenges Betsy, What if, instead of WRITING about dying languages, like your mom, you and I SAVED one instead?
As the girls embark on their quest to learn as much as possible of the near-extinct language of Guernesiais (spoken on the Isle of Guernsey, off the coast of France), their friendship faces unexpected strains. With Lizard increasingly obsessed with the language project, Betsy begins to seek greater independence from her controlling and charismatic friend, as well as from her controlling and charismatic mother. Then tragedy threatens Betsy's life beyond what any words can express, and Lizard does something unthinkable.
Maybe lost friendships, like lost languages, can never be completely saved.
Content Tags:
Perfect for readers who want:
- Novels in verse.
- A coming of age that overcomes toxic relationships.
- Learning about endangered and dying languages.
- Fraught family relationships that need to be mended.
Many thanks to Margaret Ferguson Books and Rockstar Book Tours for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Quotes are taken from an unfinished version and may differ from the final product.
I was immediately curious about this book due to the mention of linguistics and dying languages. That’s my jam! I’m a sucker for anything that involves linguistics, but especially when it’s wrapped into a story.
The Lost Language is a novel in verse about a kid who tries to save a dying language and, along the way, learns how to save herself, instead.
This book didn’t end up being quite what I expected. However, the use of poetry was well done, and Mills has an interesting voice with her writing. I absolutely loved the talk of endangered languages and the way it introduces the concept not only to the characters but also to the reader as they follow along. There’s some fantastic information buried in this book that I really appreciated. Plus, there’s a really poignant passage about the importance of these languages, especially to the people and culture that are hanging on and still using them.
Favorite Quotes
When we’re talking about a book focusing on linguistics, what better way to share it than to share my favorite quotes?! Let’s let these words speak for themselves, to some extent.
as much of each dying language as she can:
the words in it,
and the rules for how to put the words together.
She records the old people talking
and writes a book about each language
so that when the language is finally lost and forgotten,
there will be at least someone
in the world
who made it possible
to remember.
picking which red dot to save
and not saving any.
Or we could just decide:
“Let’s save this one.”
Reason number one: my mother.
I just can’t face how happy she’ll be
that I’m doing something
with somebody who isn’t Lizard.
Reason number two: Lizard.
I just can’t face how mad she’ll be
that I’m doing something
with somebody who isn’t her.
That’s what my mother says.
“It’s the heart of a culture.
It’s the soul of an entire way of life.
The languages I study
are the lifeblood of actual human beings,
usually Indigenous people,
who have already lost their land
to invasion
and colonization
and capitalism
and globalization
and the wickedness of sheer greed,
and now they’re losing their language, too.
These are people
who are losing
everything!”
About Claudia Mills
Claudia Mills has written many children’s books, including 7 x 9 = Trouble!, the Franklin School Friends series, The A9er-School Superstar series, and Zero Tolerance. She recently received the Kerlan Award for her contribution to children’s literature. She was a professor of philosophy for more than two decades at the University of Colorado and is now a faculty member in the graduate programs in children’s literature at Hollins University. Dr. Mills lives in Boulder, Colorado.
3 winners will receive a finished copy of THE LOST LANGUAGE, US Only.
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Week One
| 10/18/2021 | Rockstar Book Tours | Kickoff Post |
| 10/18/2021 | Kait Plus Books | Excerpt |
| 10/19/2021 | Jazzy Book Reviews | Excerpt |
| 10/19/2021 | Two Chicks on Books | Excerpt |
| 10/20/2021 | I’m Shelfish | Excerpt |
| 10/20/2021 | Jaime’s World | Excerpt |
| 10/21/2021 | Nonbinary Knight Reads and Reviews | Review |
| 10/21/2021 | BookHounds Ya | Excerpt |
| 10/22/2021 | The Reading Wordsmith | Review |
| 10/22/2021 | @curlygrannylovestoread | Review |
Week Two
| 10/25/2021 | Not In Jersey | Review |
| 10/25/2021 | Little Red Reads | Review |
| 10/26/2021 | The Bookwyrm’s Den | Review |
| 10/26/2021 | #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog | Review |
| 10/27/2021 | Feed Your Fiction Addiction | Review |
| 10/27/2021 | Rajiv’s Reviews | Review |
| 10/28/2021 | Two Points of Interest | Review |
| 10/28/2021 | Lifestyle of Me | Review |
| 10/29/2021 | Books and Zebras | Review |
| 10/29/2021 | The Momma Spot | Review |
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