Two weeks ago I posted a list of 10 books that I read over winter break. Since then I've read another 9. They're all juvenile fiction written for middle school-age readers (so they're all quick, easy reads).
Having Sarah stay with us for 9+ weeks inspired me to want to read more about disabilities: what it's like to have a disability, how family members are affected by disability, etc. These are almost entirely fictional stories, but here are some quick recaps in case anyone is looking for a good read.
These first two are told from the perspective of individuals with disabilities:
- Out of My Mind (Sharon Draper) - This story is narrated by a girl with cerebral palsy. She is in fifth grade. She's very intelligent, but because she's nonverbal and doesn't have the motor skills to be able to sign she can't communicate, and everyone at her school assumes she's mentally retarded. She finally finds assistive technology that gives her a voice, and she gets a teacher who advocates for her inclusion in general education classes. The book documents the social barriers to inclusion as well as other obstacles faced by individuals with disabilities.
- My Thirteenth Winter (Samantha Abeel) - This is a really interesting memoir (true story) from a girl with a learning disability. She narrates her struggles--academic, emotional, and social--from elementary school through college. Having taught special education, I really appreciated learning about how a learning disability can affect a person's life so profoundly.
These four are told from the perspective of siblings of individuals with disabilities:
- Rules (Cynthia Lords) - This is a story about the sister of a boy with severe autism. She's in middle school, so she is eager to make friends, but it's hard for her to fit in. She's fiercely loyal to her brother but also embarrassed by his behaviors. A significant portion of the narrative also revolves around a non-verbal quadriplegic boy that she befriends while in the waiting room at her brother's therapy each week.
- Al Capone Does My Shirts (Gennifer Choldenko) - This story is told from the perspective of a twelve-year-old boy who has a sister with severe autism. The family moves to a different city in hopes of getting the sister into a special school, which turns the whole family's life upside down. He is also her caregiver for several hours after school each day.
- Summer of the Swans (Betsy Byars) - This story is told by a fourteen-year-old girl whose younger brother is autistic. The narrative mostly focuses on a short period of time in which the brother gets lost in the woods and is missing for the better part of a day.
- Welcome Home, Jellybean (Marlene Shyar) - This story is told by a twelve-year-old boy whose older sister comes home after being institutionalized for her entire life. She has severe disabilities. The book is all about the family's struggle to adapt.
In all four books, you see both the good and the bad of having a sibling with profound disabilities. In each case, the characters are fiercely loyal to and love their siblings with disabilities--but it isn't easy for them to fit in socially and have a normal life.
This one is similar, as it is told from the perspective of a niece of someone with a disability:
- A Corner of the Universe (Ann M. Martin) - This story is narrated by a twelve-year-old girl who didn't even know she had a "mentally ill" uncle until the summer that his out-of-state school shuts down and he returns home while his parents search for another placement for him. This book has a lot of similar themes to the others, in that the narrator loves and advocates for her uncle when much of the rest of society sees him as a "freak."
And finally, these two are companion books to the Wonder book that I read and loved over winter break:
- Auggie & Me AND 365 Days of Wonder (R. J. Palacio) - Between Wonder and these two companion books, the same story is told from 10 perspectives. The story revolves around a fifth grade boy with severe craniofacial anomolies. The books are all about his adjustment to attending middle school and how he is received by the other students and teachers, and how they are challenged and changed by his presence. There is also some focus on his older sister who is transitioning to high school and how her brother's surgeries and physical differences have impacted her life.
Anyway, I am drawing to the end of my binge reading spree. I have about 6 more books waiting for me, and then I will be returning to work next month. That, coupled with the new baby scheduled to make its debut in two months, it's unlikely that I'll have much free time for a while.
