Book Review- Stuck in Neutral

Trueman, Terry. “Stuck in Neutral.” New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2000.

This book was written by Terry Trueman a father of a son with cerebral palsy. In this unique story Trueman introduces readers to Shawn McDaniel who has cerebral palsy and is unable to control his bodily functions, movement or speech. What makes this story so interesting is that the story is told through the thoughts of Shawn. That’s right, a boy dismissed by doctors as being an unintelligible human vegetable seems to be the smartest one around. Through Shawn we learn that while he is unable to control the many functions of his body; he is more than capable of thinking, in fact he is highly intelligent. Throughout the book, readers are able to view Shawn’s frustration with his family for not knowing his true capabilities. This book also brings up issues of euthanasia, which makes this book more appropriate for more mature audiences. . On Terry Trueman’s website (http://www.terrytrueman.com/) he goes on to further discuss that he wrote this book from the perspective of Shawn because he often wonders about his son’s thought process. He’s been told by some doctors that because his son has such a severe case of cerebral palsy that he’s basically a human vegetable and by others that while he is unable to communicate, he may be able to understand the world around him. (1). Trueman does a great job of balancing Shawn’s traits as a teenage boy and as a boy who has cerebral palsy. Readers here Shawn discuss the girls he finds attractive and entertaining commentary about sports, as well as, realistic times of stress and defeat when he fears that no one will ever understand him.

Initially I was concerned that writing a book from the perspective of a person with disability and especially one that has little documented data from an actual person with the disability, but Trueman’s writing makes readers stand back and take a look at how people with disabilities in our society are treated. It makes you want to be compassionate without being condescending and to think before you shun or gawk at a person with a disability. I will definitely include this piece of literature within my library

A Mango-Shaped Space

Mass, Wendy. A Mango-Shaped Space. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2003.

“A Mango-Shaped Space”. Wendy Mass. 2008. Wendy Mass. 14 April 2008.

A Mango-Shaped Space vividly depicts a young girl dealing with Synesthesia. Synesthesia is a disorder in which ones cognitive pathway crosses with the other and leads to involuntary responses. Mia is diagnosed with the most common type called color Synesthesia. Mia sees letters, numbers, and names in specific colors. At the beginning of the novel she keeps these visions to herself, unaware that there is a term for her disability. Mia was worried after prior events in elementary school that she would have been made fun of and called a “freak” if someone discovered that she saw different colors (Mass). Mia’s cat named Mango is where the title of the book comes from. Although her cat was grey, the sounds he made were mango colored.

This novel not only educates students on synesthesia but also on being true to ones self. Once Mia puts trust in her family, and talks about the colors she’s been experiencing, she was able to get help and support from those around her. Children are able to relate to this book in many ways. Mia suffers two losses throughout the book, as well as troubles with family and friends. At one point of the novel a tragic event results in Mia losing her color. This novel also helps those out who are dealing with this disability and unaware they have Synestheisa.

A Mango-Shaped Space received numerous amounts of awards. The novel won the Schneider Family Book Award from the American Library Association in 2004. The book was also awarded the 2005 Great Lakes Great Book Award as well as named one of the top 40 Young Adult novels in 2004 by the Pennsylvania School Librarian Association. Wendy Mass does not have synesthsia however in order to have a more “insider” perspective she went to great lengths to research the subject. For months Mass interviewed Synesthetes as well as many researchers from the American Synesthesia Association. She was also in an international correspondence group for researchers and Synesthetes. Mass would read what the group members wrote and compare the differences in their stories. The author also made sure to diagnose her main character with the most common form of Synesthesia. This way, the book was more authentic because Mia’s diagnosis was considered to be more realistic (“A Mango”).

Book Review: We'll Paint the Octopus Red

Stuve-Bodeen, Stephanie. We'll Paint the Octopus Red. MD; Woodbine House, 1998.

We’ll Paint the Octopus Red by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen tells the story of a young girl, named Emma, who is anxious for her new baby sibling to arrive. Since Emma was unsure of what to expect when the baby came, her father and her listed off a bunch of things they could do together, like feed the calves and paint with rubber octopuses. Once the baby was born though, Emma’s father told her that her new brother Isaac had Down syndrome. Emma was then worried that she wouldn’t be able to do all the things she had planned. Her dad reassured her by saying that it would just take time and patience and Isaac would eventually be able to do everything.

This book definitely portrayed Down syndrome in a positive light. Once Emma found out that her brother was born with Downs, it seemed natural that she didn’t understand what Isaac would and wouldn’t be able to do. The father was used as an informational character where he explained that “as long as we were patient with Isaac, and helped him when he needed it, there probably wasn’t anything he couldn’t do” (Stuve-Bodeen 20). This phrase sums up the concerns that many families probably have once they hear they have a child with special needs, making the book beneficial for siblings and parents of children with Down syndrome to read.

Another nice attribute to this book is that there are “Questions and Answers about Down Syndrome” located in the back. The questions were ones once asked by actual children with a brother or sister with Down syndrome. This section could be extremely helpful because it answers the questions in a way in which children would be able to understand them. For example, when asked What is Down syndrome? the answer didn’t say anything about the chromosomal differences but described how a person with Downs looks and acts. This way, book is designed for any age of audience and should be used by families and schools with children with Down syndrome.

Reflection of Text Set - "Cognitive Disability" or Mental Illness

Throughout the three texts, Inside Out, Humming Whispers, and Kissing Doorknobs, there were many paralleled themes in relation to individuals who are “cognitively disabled” or mentally ill. Each character that suffered from a mental illness (Zach, Tara, and Nicole) made it apparent that although they were conscious of their actions, they could not help them.

Take for example the following quotes:

• Inside Out – Zach states, “The thing is, I am not normal. I’m not, and I can’t help it” (Trueman 7).
• Kissing Doorknobs – Tara states, “Do you think I want to do this! Do you think I like it?” (Hesser 66).
• Humming Whispers – Sophie states, “Nicole says being schizophrenic is like screaming in a closet where no one can hear you” (Johnson 112).

This theme is so significant because it clears up some misconceptions people may have about those who are mentally ill. I personally wondered if people who are “cognitively disabled” are aware of their “abnormal” actions. In learning that they both aware and helpless at times, have helped me better see that the illness or disability does not make the person. Through each of the characters, I have been able to make the necessary separation of their identities and their “disabilities.” It is also important to add that each of the characters took medication or participated in behavioral therapy to help manage and control their “abnormal” actions and thoughts.

Hesser, Terry Spencer. Kissing Doorknobs. New York: Delacorte Press, 1998.

Jonson, Angels. Humming Whispers. New York: Orchard Books, 1995.

Trueman, Terry. Inside Out. New York: Harper Collins, 2003.

Review: Thank You, Mr. Falker

Polacco, Patricia. Thank You, Mr. Falker. New York: Philomel Books, 1998.

Thank You, Mr. Falker is a wonderful book about Trisha, who is motivated and excited to finally start school and learn to read. However, she realizes fairly quickly that this task is shaping up to be a bit more difficult than the other students make it look. When she tries to read words out loud, the texts gets all jumbled up in her brain and she cannot form complete words. Other students begin to make fun of her attempts and she becomes more aware that she is not progressing while the other students are surpassing reading expectations. In the book, it states that “Trisha began to feel ‘different.’ She began to feel dumb.” Trisha becomes more frustrated when she realizes that the same problem happens when she tries to do math as well. To make matters worse, other students call her “baby” and “dumb,” which leads Trisha to spend her free time in hiding, crying. Soon she starts to find reasons to avoid going to school at all… Until Mr. Falker, her fifth grade teacher realizes what she is up against and spends his extra time schooling Trisha on the basics of reading. Over a period of time, progress was made until Trisha could finally read a full paragraph. In the epilogue, Trisha encounters Mr. Falker again and when he asks what she is doing now, she tells him that she is now a children’s book author.

What is very important to know about this book is that it is an autobiography of Patricia Polacco herself, which makes her an insider to the learning disabilities community. She wrote this book because it was a tale she knew best and wanted to show how one teacher “unlocked the door and pulled [her] into the light.”

I like this book because it describes the experiences she went through and puts it into context for the uninformed reader, like how instead of words looking like a string of letters, they look like a bunch of fuzzy squiggles that are illegible. This story is accurate and authentic because it is based on her experiences. She defers the stereotype that students with learning disabilities are stupid, although according to her, many people assume. I would definitely use this book in my classroom in the future as it is very relatable and can impact those with and without learning disabilities.

Looking After Louis

Ely, Lesley. Looking After Louis. First. London, England:
Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2004.

Placed in a elementary school class, Looking After Louis follows a classmate of an autistic child as they interact with in the class. Louis is a student with autism, who is continually doing activities, as well as expressing behaviors in class that are very different from the other classmates. It is his desire to play soccer at recess that comes as a welcomed surprise to his teachers, as well as a learning experience for the narrator of the story.

Over all, I feel this is a really good resource to use in a classroom, especially one in which their may be a child with autism. Not only does it shed an encouraging light on inclusion in classrooms, but is also features a message for all readers. Also, a psychologist wrote a short section at the end of the book which includes information specifically about autism,along with specific characteristics, and an explanation for Louis's placement in a general education room. There are also suggestions for teachers with a student with autism in their classroom at the conclusion of the book. Another wonderful aspect of the book is that the setting is at a school, but because of how the illustrations are matched with the literature, the setting is less likely to be dated any time soon, so it could be used for years to come. Furthermore, according to the author's biography in the beginning of the book, the characters in the book are based off of students that she had in the past (as she was an English teacher) which makes a lot of sense when considering the placement of the story.

So many parents are concerned with the education of their student, let alone a students with autism. Finding the appropriate resources for their families, as well as making sure the child reaches all potential academically and otherwise is very important. Therefore, when going through the articles on the Autism Today website, I found the information in "Combating Autism" very interesting and helpful in developing my respect for families, as well as for teachers who are working to provide as much help as possible for this growing disability. This relates and compliments the comments at the be back of the book, which focused on helping parents, teachers, as well as other students understand and deal with autism.

Mom Can't See Me by Sally Alexander

Alexander, Sally. Mom Can't See Me. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1990.

This book is written from the perspective of the author’s nine-year-old daughter, Leslie. This is a true story about one little girl’s perspective of life with a blind parent. This book touches on many of the common misconceptions people may have about blindness. This is extremely beneficial for children who may not know anyone personally who is blind because it touches on everyday life situations.

Although Sally Alexander is writing this book, it is Leslie who is providing the ideas. Mom Can’t See Me begins by explaining how her mother lost her vision, breaking blood cells in her eyes eventually blinded her. Leslie explains, “Some blind people can see colors or blurry blotches, but my mom can’t see any of those things. She’s totally blind and can’t even tell if a light is on or off. She doesn’t see black, just smoky white or grey” (Alexander). This page is unlike other pages because it is black with white writing, possibly in attempt to emphasize this point. Actual photos provide illustration for this book which gives readers a more authentic experience. There are many different images of Sally, Leslie’s mother, doing normal everyday activities, such as: spending time with the family, cleaning the house, walking with her guide dog, eating dinner, riding the bus, boating, reading, (Braille) cooking, camping, tap dancing, going to the movies, playing the piano, biking, (tandem bike) swimming, writing, (on a computer that speaks every word she types) attending parent conferences, and shopping.

I felt as though this book was successful in communicating a few important messages. One message readers are hopefully picking up on is that Sally’s disability does not negatively affect her everyday life. She is fully able to accomplish her goals and live life as she pleases. Just as anyone might occasionally need some assistance, Leslie is able to help her mom out with small things like cooking, cleaning, or dictating the silent parts of movies. Leslie realizes that her mom is independent yet needs some help from time to time. This emphasizes the idea of responsibility for Leslie. Children are seeing other kids their age doing housework and being helping their parents out. This is a positive image for children who may normally dislike or have a poor attitude about chores. This book also sends children a strong message about the importance of family relationships. This family is seen spending a lot of time together doing various activities together. Lastly, this book subtly addresses the misconceptions children may possibly have about people who are blind. For instance, Leslie points out that her mother doesn’t see blackness; in fact she sees smoky white or grey. Mom Can’t See Me also tackles the frustrations family members may have at other people who do not understand the situation. As Leslie explains, “Not everybody understands about having a blind mom. I wish they did. My friends always nod or point when they talk. Since mom can’t see what they’re doing, I have to explain. I feel like a translator.” It is important to know how Leslie feels, especially for readers who are not an insider. Overall, I would use this book or one similar to it in my classroom collection someday because of the many positive messages it sends readers. Leslie’s mother is committed to her family, very independent, and is able to accomplish her goals.

Thank You, Mr. Falker

Polacco, Patricia. Thank You, Mr. Falker. Philomel Books: New York, 1998.

Patricia Polacco writes a picture book about real struggles that occurred during her childhood. In Thank you, Mr. Falker, a young girl, Trisha, feels like she is “dumb” because she cannot read like the other students. However with the help of a devoted teacher, Trisha finally has success in the classroom and learns to read.

In the beginning of the book Trisha receives a special gift from her grandfather, the knowledge to know the reading is sweet. After learning this, Trisha is very excited that she is going to learn to read. However, she quickly discovers that she cannot learn to read and recognize the letters like the other students in her class. Trisha moves from Michigan to California and hopes that at her new school she will not be teased for not knowing how to read. However, the teasing only gets worse. It is not until a caring, and affectionate teacher helps Trisha learn to recognize the letters and eventually read successfully.

After reading Thank You, Mr. Falker, I think it has became one of my favorite pieces of children’s literature. In such a short encouraging story there are many real life aspects for students to relate to as well as offering the notion that success can be reached. The real problems that are addressed in this book are issues that many students may face. Such as losing family members, trouble reading, bullying, moving, resource room help, achieving success. However, for me one of the most surprising and wonderful aspects of this book is the final page of the story when Polacco admits that Trisha is actually her and that great teachers like Mr. Falker really do exist. This piece of the text offers hopes to struggling students. Also, for students who do not have trouble reading or who bully, it teaches them a lesson about acceptance and struggles that other students must have the strength to overcome. I believe that awareness, understanding, and acceptance are promoted in this book for people with learning disabilities. According to the article, “Teaching Students About Learning Disabilities Through Children’s Literature” by Prater, Dyches, and Johnstun, Polacco’s book is a high quality piece of literature acceptance of learning disabilities is accepted. It is also a high quality piece of literature because it has strong literary features (characterization, setting, plot, point of view, etc) as well as learning disabilities or portrayed very positively.

I learned quite a bit about Polacco on her website (http://www.patriciapolacco.com/author/bio/bio.html). Besides the fact that she is from Michigan and grew up on a farm (just like Trisha), she did not read until the age of 14 and was diagnosed with dyslexia. Since Polacco has a learning disability herself, this piece of literature can be called an “insider” point of view.

Review of "My Buddy"

Osofsky, Audrey. My Buddy. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1992.

My Buddy is the story of a little boy and his service dog, Buddy. The boy has muscular dystrophy and Buddy is his “arms and legs”. With Buddy around, the main character can do things without his parents constantly around helping him. Whether he is at school or home, he can do things on his own, with Buddy by his side always.

This book gives yet another perspective for children with disabilities. It is important for students who may need or already have a Service Dog to understand that it is a good thing, not to be embarrassed about, and that they are not alone. On the other hand, students without disabilities need to understand that a Service Dog is a working animal like guide dogs for people that are blind. When they understand their purpose, students will be more likely to leave them be and resist petting. This story is accurate and authentic, as it was based on the experiences of Scott LeRoy and his buddy, Rex. Scott and Rex were the first pair helped by Canine Companions for Independence in Minnesota. While Osofsky is not an insider, she worked closely with Scott, who is an insider, when writing this book. Aside from being a realistic representation of a disablilty, this story is generally well written and enjoyable to read.

For more information on Scott LeRoy (the inspiration for My Buddy) and the Canine Companions for Independence check out this link: http://www.ccimn.org/scott_leroy.htm

Book Review: Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. New York: Farrar, Straus and Girox, 1998.


Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key tells the story of Joey, a boy who is out of control due to having ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). The story unfolds as Joey and those around him are attempting to gain control of his extreme and disruptive behaviors that always seem to result in some unfortunate accident.


Gantos tells the story from Joey's perspective. This element makes the book stand out. It would be easy for the reader to view Joey's situations from the teacher's or his classmates perspectives because such views probably fit best with what they own. By using Joey's voice, the reader is forced and able to see how Joey thinks and views each situations before, during and after they happen. Gantos is so effective in making Joey real to the reader that every event and situation seems reasonable from Joey's perspective. I am not sure about Gantos standing as an insider to the world of ADHD, but his well-informed on how people with ADHD think and some of the medical treatments. His book offers an inside look at what it means to have ADHD which reconfirms to readers that things not be what they seem.

Although the book is fairly humorous, there is an element of sadness when Joey's family is considered. His father is not around and his mother has suffered from alcoholism. When everyone from his teacher, grandmother, school staff and doctors learn about his mother they seem to generalize her feelings and assume she does not care about Joey's welfare or is not involved with his problems. By making her care and having her help Joey set goals and rewards to improve his behavior, Gantos seems to challenge this stereotypical image of an uninvolved, self-absorbed, alcoholic mother.

Mackinnon, Christy. Silent Observer. Washington, D.C.: Kendall Green Publications, 1993.

This book is about the author, Christy Mackinnon, and her childhood. She talks about what her life was like before she went to school, when she goes to school, then while she is in school. She became deaf at the age of 2 from whooping cough, and her closest sister, Sadie, was partially deaf from the same sickness. Through her childhood, Mackinnon met very famous people in the Deaf Community such as Alexander Graham Bell and Helen Keller. She talks about her struggles with accepting the fact that she was deaf and the everyday struggles that go along with being deaf in a hearing family.

I felt this book was absolutely amazing. I was interested in this book before I read it but once I started reading it, I was turning page after page. One of the best parts of the book for me was when all of a sudden she mentioned her neighbor, Alexander Graham Bell, like it was no big deal. I was in such awe that she knew him. Then, when she talks about her experiences in the Halifax School For The Deaf, she gets to meet Helen Keller!! I was so excited about that too because I am so fascinated with learning about how Helen Keller learned to communicate. I think it would be amazing to say I have met her, but Mackinnon talks about it in the book like it was almost not as amazing as I would picture it. If I got to meet Helen Keller, I would be announcing it to the world; it would be better than meeting some movie star to me. But Mackinnon doesn't emphasize how she felt about meeting Helen Keller in this book, which shocks me.

Overall, though, I felt this book was great. I absolutely loved it and would recommend it to anyone, deaf or hearing, child or adult. It was not the easiest book to find, but once you find it, it's worth it. Another fascinating thing about this book is how it came to be a published book. Christy Mackinnon wrote her story and drew her own pictures but never put the book together. It wasn't until her niece found these pages of her story and her wonderful pictures years later and decided to put them together as a book and have it published. This story tells history right from a person who lived it. And that is the best part!

Book review of "123 for You and Me"

"123 for You and Me" by Meg Girnis is another book depicting a diverse group in literature. This book is a counting book that concentrates on children with Down Syndrome as they are photographed with a different number of objects on each page. I would consider Meg Girnis an insider to this topic because she has sister in law (that passed away in 1985) that had Downs Syndrome, and two children (one that has Down Syndrome and one that doesn't)as well. Both of her children are even pictured in this book on the "Seven Ducklings" page! What is great about the book is that while most of the children pictured do, in fact, have Down Syndrome, there are also many other children in the book that don't have Downs Syndrome. There are children of just about every ethnicity and culture as well. I really like how this book shows children of all diverse backgrounds featured in it with different objects. All the children appear to be having a great time as they are shown with fuzzy ducklings or presents or big hairy dogs. Like my other two books, this book also shows realistic photographs of the children which makes it easier for them to relate to the characters if compared to books with drawings or cartoons of children with the disability. Meg Girnis has also written another book as a conjunction with this book called, "ABC for You and Me". This book depicts children primarily with Down Syndrome with different letters of the alphabet. I really like the idea of depicting children with disabilities as characters in books like counting or letter books. Until I've researched this book, I've never seen a child with a disability portrayed in a resource book like this. I think it's great to depict children of all backgrounds in these types of resource books and I feel that it shows other children that children with disabilities can be relatable to them as well.



Girnis, Meg. 123 for You and Me. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Company, 2000.