Silence is Goldfish

When a teenage girl decides to stop speaking, the people around her are very much on the outside, looking in…

Silence is Goldfish is the story of an unconventional teenage protagonist, Tessa, who had, until recently, led a comfortable life with supportive friends and a happy family. She was unperturbed by her uniqueness until she discovered something that changed everything: her father is not her real father.

Tessa’s decision to suddenly stop speaking begins as a kind of protest but as her silence affects all those around her, and as it forces her to reconsider how she sees herself, it becomes the catalyst for a journey of self-discovery that is by turns hilarious and deeply moving.

As Tessa traverses a world of cyber-bullying, unpredictable adults, newly acquired self-awareness and further unexpected revelations, all without uttering a word (except for the secrets she whispers to a goldfish torch she names Mr. Goldfish), we champion this strong, unusual yet utterly-familiar girl. Sometimes, she learns, saying nothing can have the greatest impact of all.

Annabel Pitcher is a Yorkshire-based writer whose second novel, [*Ketchup Clouds*](https://www.waterstones.com/book/ketchup-clouds/annabel-pitcher/9781780620312), was selected for the 2014 Waterstones Children's Prize. Her first book was the immensely successful [*My Sister Lives on The Mantelpiece*](https://www.waterstones.com/book/my-sister-lives-on-the-mantelpiece/annabel-pitcher/9781780621869), which was listed for thirty awards including the CILIP Carnegie Medal and The Dylan Thomas Prize.

‘[Silence is Goldfish is] a witty, heart-warming study of Tessa ... a lovely story about overcoming convention and coming to accept yourself’ – The Daily Telegraph