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Although in full honesty, the pictured sandwich is probably a Rachel. Anyways, here's the Cel-Ray for those wondering...

Matted image of a can of Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray soda, a light green can with a cameo drawing of the Brooklyn Bridge in the center, with the words surrounding: "Since 1869, Dr. Brown's natural flavor Cel-Ray, celery soda with other natural flavors. 12 fl. ozs. (355 mL)"

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 10h

Oh hey, you've only got 5 days left to get the Deaf Baby Instruction Manual for just $19.56. For that money, you can get a Reuben at Saul's, plus a Cel-Ray if you throw in the shipping. www.bloomsbury.com/us/deaf-baby...

An image of an equation with pictures instead of numbers. On the left of the equal sign, a book, The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual by Will Fertman, with the image of a smiling black infant on the cover. Over the book is an orange star with "30% off" superimposed on it. On the right of the equal sign, an overstuffed Reuben sandwich with corned beef and saurkraut spilling messily from it, and a side of potato salad.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 28/09/2026

Comics Club starts today, and my guy drew a mascot!

Child's drawing of a bean-like character peering over the top of an open comic book, labeled, "COMiC BOOK"

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 23/09/2026

I'm going to bring it to Comic Book Club next week and see what the kids think.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 23/09/2026

Happy International Day of Sign Languages, everyone! Can anybody tell me what Hello Kitty is supposed to be saying here?

Cartoon showing Hello Kitty, a simply-drawn white cat figure, on a pink background. There's a diagram showing her right paw pivoting and moving away from her expressionless non-mouth. Above her head are the words "International Day of Sign Languages."

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 22/09/2026

And, since this post blew up, the thing that I did was write a guide for hearing parents of deaf and hard of hearing children. No AI, just research-supported, Deaf-adult-approved advice and poop jokes from the heart. www.bloomsbury.com/us/deaf-baby...

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 18/09/2026

The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual is 30% off for the rest of the month in select countries That's $20 US, £14 UK, $29 CAN. (It's also available at $36 AUS and ₹2383 IND.)

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 17/09/2026

www.bloomsbury.com/us/deaf-baby...

Photo of a book, the Deaf Baby Instruction Manual, a guide for parents of deaf and hard of hearing children from birth through kindergarten, by Will Fertman, foreword by Wyatte Hall and Kim Ofori-Sanzo from Bloomsbury Academic / www.bloomsbury.com. A happy Black baby stares out from a mostly-white cover, with three cameo scenes of parents reading, playing with, and communicating with their children at the top of the cover. Superimposed over this image is an orange star with "30% off through Oct. 4."

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 15/09/2026

Making up a flier for Comic Book Club at the younger one's school and I'm pretty proud of this detail:

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 15/09/2026

Doing sit-ups this morning under a pepper tree and saw this. Don't think I captured the beauty exactly, but it was something.

Photograph from beneath a pepper tree. Green leaves hang down in feathers, with bunches of small pink berries mixed in against a bright blue sky.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 14/09/2026

After posting all those reader reviews, I neglected to note a terrific professional review of the Deaf Baby Instruction Manual I received from Louisa Marie Pethke, writing in Deutche Gehörlosenzeitung, the German Deaf newspaper. "And let me say right away: it's a powerful and humorous book!"

Photograph of a single-page article in the German-language publication Deutsche Gehörlosenzeitung, "German Deaf Newspaper." The page features an image of The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual, and is from the August 2026 edition.

Partial text (in English): “The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual - an honest and humorous guide for parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children by Will Fertman. A review by Louisa Marie Pethke
Will Fertman lives as an author and stay-at-home dad in California, USA. When his second son, Oscar, was diagnosed with severe sensorineural hearing loss during newborn screening, Fertman embarked on a journey encompassing diagnostics, sign language, communication, preventing speech deprivation, and fatherhood. He co-authored articles on the topic and published his self-proclaimed modern guide, The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual - a Guide for Parents of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children from Birth Through Kindergarten, with Bloomsbury Publishing this April. And let me say right away: it's a powerful and humorous book!
…Even the chapter titles reveal a refreshing honesty that differs greatly from the usual heaviness of other self-help guides. According to Fertman, this was also the case for the parents when the diagnosis was made…The best recommendations and conversations came from deaf adults, deaf researchers, and especially education experts.
Fertman specifically notes in his introduction: "If you have any questions, you can contact me. Even better: ask a deaf adult."
In the five chapters, Fertman guides the reader through the jungle of diagnoses, and explores the various support options available for deaf and hard-of-hearing children in the United States.
But doesn't write a dry, diagnostic book… And that's precisely the strength of this book—it's a book about parenting without pressure.
At the same time, it's an honest and therefore compelling plea for the Deaf community, ASL, and the Deaf child. Highly recommended for all English-speaking readers!”

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 10/09/2026

And I should note, the DBIM is still on sale from @bloomsburyacademic.bsky.social until Oct. 4 for just $20 US / £14 UK. Best deal on either side of the Atlantic: www.bloomsbury.com/us/deaf-baby...

Ad for a book, The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual, a guide for parents of deaf and hard of hearing children from birth through kindergarten. The book floats above a mysterious fluffy baby-blanket-like texture, and shows a smiling Black infant on its cover. Text reads: "Back to school sale. Save 30% through Oct. 4th. Bloomsbury Academic, bloomsbury.com."

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 31/08/2026

If you got the book at Amazon, taking a second to rate / review it is a huge help! www.amazon.com/Deaf-Baby-In...

Text clip from Amazon: "5 out of 5 stars. The BEST RESOURCE for Families of Deaf Children. Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2026. Format: Paperback. Verified Purchase.

"I am an SLP who works with Deaf children and THIS is the book we’ve all been waiting for. I can’t wait to share it with ALL parents of deaf children as well as other professionals. The information is all based on current research and gives parents/doctors/professionals the balanced information they need to make informed decisions from day one. Can’t recommend this enough!!!"

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 28/08/2026

As always, if you're inclined, reviews like this on Goodreads help the book reach more parents of #deafkids.

Text clip from Goodreads.com. Text: ★★★★★ July 21, 2026
Will Fertman wrote a funny, compassionate guide to raising a deaf child. Reading it is like sitting with a knowledgeable friend. The tone is relaxed. He is funny and a totally straight shooter. While he addresses all the emotional challenges for parents he also offers a clear and educated rundown on everything from the importance of giving your baby a language early, most likely ASL to navigating special education, early intervention, encounters with “helpful” strangers, difficult doctors and navigating the system to secure what your child needs. To give you a sense of the informal tone one chapter is “Doctors, Teachers and A$$holes”. "

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 26/08/2026

Author Mark Drolsbaugh's review of the Deaf Baby Instruction Manual: "I’ve always wished there was a comprehensive, tell-the-full-story instruction book for parents of deaf children. Now we have one." www.facebook.com/mark.drolsba...

Text-only clip from Facebook:

"He also has a sense of humor that caught me completely off guard several times. (That Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions segment near the end of the book had me howling—I’m absolutely saving that material for when I need it!)

"All in all it’s an easy to read, informative and entertaining guidebook that parents of deaf kids will greatly appreciate. It eliminates a lot of the worry and guesswork and makes you smile at the same time."

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 25/08/2026

Going back over reader reviews for the Deaf Baby Instruction Manual. Here's one from speech-language pathologist Caitlin Stueve over on IG: "I literally could not put it down... His tongue-in-cheek style had me laughing out loud on the porch!" www.instagram.com/p/DXkrKbNGoNp/

Screenshot from Instagram, showing a partial picture and partial quote.

Image: Top half of a book, The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual, the main picture showing a smiling Black baby on a white background. It's placed somewhere on a rustic porch with forest in the background.

Text:

"I was so wrong. I picked it up this morning and just finished the entire thing because I literally could not put it down! 👏

"Even with a decade in the field, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the read. Often, when I'm reviewing resources aimed at families, it’s easy to just stay in "work mode" because the information is so familiar. But the way this is phrased is so fresh and unique that it kept me completely engaged the whole time! It felt like having a long, hilarious conversation with Will. His tongue-in-cheek style had me laughing out loud on the porch! 😂"

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 19/08/2026

One of every chile in the house… we‘ll see how it all salsas up. No promises.

Photograph of a pot on the stove, with tomatillos, shallots, and several dried and fresh red chilies, all boiling water.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 17/08/2026

There’s another summer sale on for The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual from @bloomsburyacademic.bsky.social - if you’ve got a #deafkid in your life, you can get a copy for under $20! www.bloomsbury.com/us/deaf-baby...

Image of a book cover: the Deaf Baby instruction manual. A smiling black baby on a white background, with three small cameo images of parents interacting with their infants, toddlers and kindergartners across the top.

In the bottom, right corner is an orange star shape with the words “30% off“ super imposed.

Text: the Deaf Baby Instruction manual, a guide for parents of deaf and heart of hearing children from birth through kindergarten, by Will Fertman with forward by Wyatte Hall and Kim Ofori-Sanzo.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 27/07/2026

But in the end, it doesn't matter whether this person was a bot or not, or even a product of AI brainrot or a genuine SEE sign true-believer. What they really were was a distillation of a lot of the bad advice that has kept deaf and hard of hearing kids stuck for 100+ years.

Anonymized Bluesky post:

Then why hasn't it evolved a means to make permanent record and transfer knowledge? THAT'S culture.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 27/07/2026

And the end result really did feel like they were going back to the AI well again and again for material, even as the educated and experienced folks around them pointed out the flaws in their arguments. Kind of Gish-gallopy and never quite hitting the mark.

Anonymized Bluesky post:

Seriously? You know ASL was not the result of a planned out means to improve communication. It has retained many things from its origin. Is 'pure' ASL closer to French or English?

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 27/07/2026

I and some better-educated others went a couple rounds with this person before @mhairiforrest.bsky.social called it for a bot. But someone else pointed out that it was more likely this person was using AI to generate replies. That fit: they kept swinging at the topic like chopping trees...

Anonymized Bluesky post (all text):

Have you tried to reach an ASL preschooler how to read and comprehend English text? Do you know the origins of ASL? It is NOT an organic development, it was conscious choice, therefore open to adaptation when necessity arises.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 23/07/2026

And building a predator-proof chicken run for when we're not at home to guard the girls.

Photo of a chicken run, a long box-like structure with wire walls, sitting in a grassy back yard.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 23/07/2026

So this past month has been building for the chickens. Rehabbing and rat-proofing a coop donated by the co-op across the street:

Photo of a small, dollhouse-like chicken coop on legs, made from weathered bare wood, standing ina grassy back yard.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 23/07/2026

Because we ended up in a rental (with a spectacular, but not chicken-friendly garden,) the Banana sisters got re-homed to Chicken Versailles, much to the boy's sorrow. But we recently found a new place, and our backyard is once again ours, so we brought Deaf and Rotten Banana back!

Two chickens grazing in a grassy yard. One is mostly white, the other rust-colored with black feather tips.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 23/07/2026

This summer hasn't been very productive for me, because for the last month-plus I've been consumed with the arrival of our chickens. We got Deaf Banana and Rotten Banana in 2022, but ended up selling our house a couple years later...

A middle-aged white guy with curly hair crouches on a backyard patio. Two chickens, one white and one brown, perch on his back.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 15/07/2026

Younger one wanted me to take a picture of this "smirking pretzel."

Photo of a middle aged white man holding a pretzel with a sardonic expression on its little salty face.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 13/07/2026

Bloomsbury is having a summer sale, which means that The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual is available under $20. If you're the parent of a #deafkid or a professional who works with them, pick up a copy before the new school year starts, and read it on the beach! www.bloomsbury.com/us/deaf-baby...

Cover of a book, The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual, a guide for parents of deaf or hard of hearing children from birth through kindergarten, by Will Fertman, forward by Dr. Wyatte Hall and Dr. Kimberley Ofori-Sanzo. The cover shows a happy Black baby looking directly out towards the reader. Three cameo images at the top show parents interacting with their young children. A large orange sun-shape with "30% OFF" is superimposed over the cover. The cover blub reads "'Every parent of a deaf or hard of hearing child should read this book.'—Dr. Naomi Caselli, co-director, The Deaf Center at Boston University.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 04/07/2026

Felt the most patriotic I’ve been in a long time this afternoon. Had to mail some packages from my hometown to my current address. Daniel the postal worker was kind and helpful, the best of America.

Image of a wall at a post office, with a nameplate reading “Daniel” in green calligraphy. The wall is adorned with stickers, including Star Wars and Studio Ghibli themes.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 24/06/2026

Just learned of the passing of Carlo Ginzburg, author of one of my favorite books, the Cheese and the Worms. . www.history.ox.ac.uk/article/carl...

Cover of the book, The Cheese and the Worms, by Carlo Ginzburg. The cover is dark blue, with a circular red image of a bearded medieval man reading a book while walking through farm fields, with a windmill in the background. Text: In the tradition of Mountaullou and A Distant Mirror, The Cheese and the Worms, the Cosmos of a Sixteenth-Century Miller, Carlo Ginzburg.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 23/06/2026

#freecomicbookday comics at the library—is Archie rocking #disabilitypride merch?

Cover of an Archie comic. In the center is Archie Andrews, a red-headed teenager wearing a black t-shirt with the striped disability rights flag pattern. Surrounding him our images of other Archie characters: jughead and hot dog, Sabrina, the teenage witch, and Betty and Veronica. Text: free comic book day, The World of Archie. Featuring Betty and Veronica, and Sabrina, the teenage witch.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 22/06/2026

More from the county fair.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 22/06/2026

Went to the Alameda County Fair with the family yesterday and encountered this intriguing sign in the small animal show:

Photo of a large banner hanging in the interior of an exhibit hall, showing a green and yellow parakeet, with the title "Poultry" underneath.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 18/06/2026

I'm very happy to announce that I have joined the board of California Educators of the Deaf as their Director of Family Involvement! Looking forward to building connections with families and educators across the state to better support our #deafkids. cal-ed.org

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 30/05/2026

Going to Fresno tomorrow to do another talk on reading books to #deafkids. If you're in the area, I'll be at DHHSC at 1pm. It's always a good time!

Flier for an event, with a key photo of an elementary-aged child reading a large yellow book. Text:

READ TO YOUR DEAF/HH CHILD
FREE WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITY FOR:
PARENTS OF DEAF/HH KIDS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, TEACHERS OF DEAF/ HH KIDS, INTERPRETERS.

PRESENTER: WILL FERTMAN, PARENT AND AUTHOR OF THE DEAF BABY INSTRUCTION MANUAL

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2026
1PM TO 4PM
DHHSC HEADQUARTERS
5340 N. FRESNO ST
FRESNO, CA 93710
LEARN ABOUT...

BOOKS AS PARENTING TOOLS
THE BENEFITS OF READING-BEYOND LITERACY
OVER 70 GREAT KID'S BOOKS TO READ TO YOUR DEAF/HH CHILD IN ENGLISH OR ASL
SPONSORED BY:
FIRST5 FRESNO COUNTY
Their Future First
Connect. Inspire. Succeed.
DHHSC, DEAF & HARD OF HEARING SERVICE CENTER
For more information, contact Jesse Lewis at JesseL@DHHSC.org or call 559-225-3323. Registration is not required. ASL Intepreters will be provided!

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 29/05/2026

going through the car for overdue library books. This was ONE footwell.

Photograph of the backseat of a car. It is incredibly messy, with food, wrappers tissue boxes, and assorted debris. On the seat is a 3 foot high stack of children’s books.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 27/05/2026

Meanwhile, at the book launch for The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual... www.bloomsbury.com/us/deaf-baby-instruction-manual-9798765189375/

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 25/05/2026

Packing for a move and I come across some striking juxtapositions.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 23/05/2026

Deaf Baby Instruction Manual is on sale until tomorrow, May 24. That means you can get the book for under $20—what a deal! www.bloomsbury.com/us/deaf-baby...

Book cover for The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual. Images: a smiling Black baby on a white background beams from the center of the cover. Across the top, three cameo images show parents playing and reading with their infant and kindergarten-age children. Title: "The Deaf Baby Instruction Manual." A large orange sticker with "30% OFF" obscures the subtitle and author, reading "A guide for parents... children from Bir... Will... forward by Dr. Wyatte Ha..."

A pull quote on the cover: "Every parent of a deaf or hard of hearing child should read this book." Dr. Naomi Caselli, co-directors, The Deaf Center at Boston University.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 21/05/2026

Should have mentioned, but my new Comics Club discovery is The Accursed Vampire by @madmcgrane.bsky.social. It's old news—there's already a sequel out—but I was really struck by how smart this story about bloodsucking scamps was. A great way to talk about relationships and self-worth with #deafkids

Three vampire kid friends stand in an overgrown graveyard extolling the virtues of autumn blood. Vamp 1 is entirely bald and stark white, wiping blood from their mouth with a handkerchief. "Blood always testes best in October." Vamp 2 is a Black child with snake-like eyes and a modern pink sweater: "Something about the crisp air and the warm, zesty blood." Vamp 3 is a brown-skinned child in modern overalls and a striped shirt: "I think it tastes the same as ever, delicious."

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 13/05/2026

The younger one crammed all his stuffed animals into a sleeping bag to create a single mega-stuffie he named Big Boi. The Boi was a nighttime companion for about a week before dissolving into his constituent parts.

Photograph of a child's room. A kid in a rainbow tie-die shirt stands in front of his bed, holding the tail end of sleeping bag tightly filled with material, a big blue stuffed animal peeking out from the opening. The child's face is out of the frame.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 10/05/2026

Guess I know what I'm doing tonight.

Photo of a hand holding a book against the backdrop of a messy table. The book is Mother Tongue, a memoir by Sara Nović "New York Times bestselling author of True Biz." It's a yellow hardcover with large modern black lettering. The black letters have white letters in ASL overlaid. Behind the book on the table is an open cardboard package and a stack of the kind of paper crap that accumulates in a busy household with kids: art, children's books, unread magazines, etc.

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 09/05/2026

I had a chance to present my "read to your deaf kid" talk at Language First's Early Language Center in Manchester Connecticut. It was a BLAST. And I look maniacal in this picture.

A midde-aged white man in an orange sweater is giving a presentation in a small room, gesturing maniacally. In his hand he holds an open children's book showing a gray-and-brown landscape made from triangles (the book is Triangle by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen.) In the background on the right is a large screen showing a small child reading. The titles say, "Theory Of Mind. Predict action, guess motivation, "inhabit" characters and watch you..." (cut off.) On the left is a poster displaying ASL signs. "ASL Kindness day. Kind. Nice. Forgive. Respect. Compassionate. Sharing."

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Will Fertman @willfertman.com · 09/05/2026

I can't believe I haven't mentioned 17 Things I'm Not Allowed to Do Anymore by Jenny Offill & Nancy Carpenter. It's wet-your-pants funny and holds up on repeated reads. Incidentally, it's not too hard to sign in ASL for your #deafkid, too.

A middle aged white man in an orange sweater stands in a small room giving a presentation. He's holding a battered children's book up: 17 Things I'm Not Allowed To Do Anymore by Jenny Offill and Nancy Carpenter. On the wall behind him is an analog clock whose face shows numbers in ASL. A small sign on the door behind him says "Suite 205 Language First."

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