Disabilities Books

Ballerina Dreams is an absolutely beautiful book for both children and adults. It illustrates the human spirit to best insurmountable challenges through determination, hardwork, dedication and love. The pictures and text capture the wonderful spirit of these beautiful dancers as well as their tenacious teacher, Joann Ferrara. Read this book, keep it near and when you are having a bad day and think life is tough, pull it out and get inspired!

This is the story of 5 special girls who dream of being ballerinas. They all have some sort of physical ability that they have to try and work around. This is the story of their amazing class and how they work so hard to put on a great show!

This gave me a chance to talk with my daughter who takes dance classes about how blessed that she is with good health.

This astonishing book tells the story, through pictures and a straight-forward narrative, of five little girls who work hard to fulfill their dreams. The determination of these beautiful children, their teenage helpers, and their low-key, high-voltage teacher is an important -- and most assuredly delightful -- lesson for everyone.

What a stunning book in so many ways. It's touching and moving and beautifully put together. These little girls should be inspiration for everyone. When you're faced with a seemingly impossible task, you should take note of these little ones with physical disabilities and what they can do and nothing will seem impossible again.
It's a book for people of all ages, and it really focuses on your abilities rather than inabilities and these girls look like they are having the time of their young lives. Joann Ferrara started teaching them ballet four years ago with only five students. She was a physical therapist and wanted to make childrens dreams of becoming ballerinas come true. She's done a terrific job and with the help of handlers for these girls, they perform to standing ovations.
With the holidays coming up, this book will make an excellent gift. It's heartwarming and beautiful and I highly highly recommend it to everyone.

Featuring gorgeous photography by Pulitzer Prize-winning team member James Estrin, Ballerina Dreams: A True Story is a picturebook following five little girls who wanted to become ballerinas and dance on stage. Each girl had cerebral palsy or other physical difficulties, which affect their control over their leg muscles; some use leg braces, wheelchairs, or walkers to get around. Yet with practice, hard work, and the aid of a committed teacher, they were able to realize their dream. A truly inspirational picturebook especially recommended for young girls of all backgrounds.

I have been tutoring my dyslexic 9 year old boy (who happens to have a variety of other learning disabilities and issues to complicate matters)since June 1st of 2008 using this system. His progress has been exceptional. We are finding it is taking us 3-4 sessions to get through one lesson (in level 4) so it is fantastic value. I think that any kid would benefit from this program. I know that I have really learned alot too and I don't have dyslexia. I know I was desperate by the time I found this program. I sleep alot better now knowing that my son will be achieving well beyond initial expectations. He couldn't write a simple sentence when we started now I can dictate rather complex sentences with words that he may not even know the meaning of or seen before and he knows how to write the sentence.

I have recommended this program to other parents I know. It is not for the non committed parent though. We do 4 sessions a week and never miss one. It really is fun but it needs to be taught regularly.

I have personally tutored my son in Level I and II of the Barton Reading and Spelling System and I love it! My 8 year old son is very bright, but couldn't seem to grasp reading. After two years of struggling to understand and help him, we discovered the Bright Solutions for Dyslexia website explaining Dyslexia symptoms, etc. I read every word on the site and watched the videos produced by the Barton creator, Susan Barton. I was so excited. Her website read like my son's resume. But would it work?

A little skeptical, I ordered Level 1 and started right away. You use "letter tiles" very similar to scrabble letters, and the first thing my son did was build a huge tower and say "I'm gonna like this program!" However, the first few lessons were traumatic for teacher and son. He cried and was so upset we were doing "something else." I admit to feeling frustrated too. But, Ms. Barton's reminder on the videos to be positive and reassuring helped me be patient with him. And it paid off. My son is FINALLY grasping the fundamental concepts of reading!!! He is no longer frustrated. He was so excited when he read his first "chapter" novel last month..a BoxCar Children mystery. My younger son, who is not dyslexic, kept begging me to tutor him. And so I did. And within 2 months, he was reading too. I truly can see where this system could work for teaching ANY child to read, dyslexic or not.

I'm a homeschool mom and have tried several curriculums for phonics and reading. This program is very thorough and systematic. Ms. Barton is a true teacher. She teaches you what to do in the DVD's included in your materials, and then you teach them to your child. (Don't skip the videos!) The videos and the first few lessons might seem overwhelming at the start. But there's a structured, systematic method to her program that works!! Both sons took spelling tests last week and made 100. I was one proud mom!!!! I highly recommend it.

I have been working with my dyslexic 10 year old using the Barton Reading and Spelling System: An Orton-Gillingham influenced simultaneously multisensory explicit and systematic phonics program and I will tell you that it feels as though it was custom made for her! The progress that she is making is tremendous!!!! It is definately a "must" if you have a dyslexic child!!! My daughter started with the FastForWord program first which allowed her to get her sounds down. She then started the Barton Reading and Spelling System which is the perfect system to apply the sounds that she had learned from the FastForWord program!!! I can't say enough about this program!!!!! Get it!!! You won't be sorry!!!!

I've been tutoring my dyslexic daughter (age 12) for about a year using this system and she has improved tremendously. She even made honor role this year. You need to be aware of several things:

1) The system has 10 Levels; each level builds on the last one. (I think Susan Barton, the system's developer, estimates that each level takes 3-4 months with regular tutoring, but you can set your own pace)

2) Do not be tempted to skip levels. Level One seems inconsequential, but it is absolutely crucial that the dyslexic student learn how to distinguish sounds by deliberately listening for them. This is the only program of which I'm aware that specifically focuses on helping the student break sounds apart and then blend them back together, a skill that most dyslexic kids do not have.

3) The DVD training tapes are extremely easy to follow; even a novice tutor (i.e. mom) can learn how to effectively teach the system.

4) Each level, when purchased new, comes with only the tiles needed for that specific level. YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD HAVE THE TILES TO TEACH THIS PROGRAM!!!

I hope that this is helpful. I know the frustrations of being a parent of a dyslexic child who believes that she is dumb. These kids are not dumb; they are extremely gifted in other areas. I wish all dyslexic kids could get the help that they need. In my opinion, Barton suits this need very well.

You can Google the product name to find the site that sells all the levels of the program. Susan Barton also has very useful information about dyslexia on her site.

I have used this product at home for my daughter. It has increase her ability to spell, read, and sound out words. Before using the Barton Reading and Spelling program I paid $25.00 /hour for a tutor, if I could get one. This product really works!

Just read this to a group of four year olds. "They got to be friends!" shouted Anil. "They was so different - they got mad - but they got to play" was Melissa's comment. Kids LOVE this book. And it's one of the rare ones that portrays kids with special needs as kids first - disability second. Terrific!

I am a ECSE teacher and plan on reading this book next fall to my students. This will be a great book to open up discussion about so many things such as friendships, how to work out differences with your classmates, how everyone is different (including children that are differently abled) and that it's ok if you don't get along with your classmates ALL the time, you just have to be able to work things out and treat people the way you want to be treated.

This book would be great to share with ANY Elementary classroom. It has great photographs, big, bold print and easy to read text.

This is a great book to share with students. I shared it with my 2nd grade class as an intro to talk about a student in our class who has downs. My students loved the book and saw how alike the girls in the book were to them. Read this book to your class!

Illustrated with the black and white photography of Laura Dwight, Kirsten DeBear's Be Quiet, Marina! is an engaging picture book for very young children with a different look, as it tells the story of the noisy four-year-old girl Marina and the much quieter four-year-old girl Moira. Marina has cerebral palsy, and Moira has Down syndrome. At first Marina and Moira could not play because Moira was frightened of Marina's noise. But eventually Marina and Moira become best friends, in a story to be treasured. The text consists of simple sentences printed in big, bold black letters, making Be Quiet, Marina! the perfect book on a sensitive social subject for young people just beginning to learn how to read.

I enjoyed reading this book to the 1st graders at my daughter's school. The children at this age are searching for friendship but are still hesitant to embrace it when they find it. The book gave me many opportunities to talk about how Moira and Marina had problems to work out in their friendship but when they worked on it, spoke honestly to one another about how they felt, they were able to have fun and enjoy being together. The disabilities of Marina and Moira also gave the children even more to discuss about differences - not just disabilities but it let to discussions on race, color, weight, family composition, religion and other perceived obstacles to friendship.
In all, the many photos of the girls made the book interesting for the children and the flow of the story made it a great tool for discussion and learning.

I love that these books are historical in nature and also about building your self confidence. Sabina shows us that if you put your mind it it you can do more that others think you can.

Set in 1961 when I was her same age I cannot imagine even doing half the adventures she does. It's a lesson that during those times children didn't get to be children like we did here in the USA. We were afraid of being bombed and taught about fall out shelters but at least my family didn't lose sleep over it. Not so if like Sabina living lived in Berlin.

This is a great series for teen and adult historical novel lovers. Book 3 here I come.

This is book 2 in Robert Elmer's The Wall series. Sabine, Eric's teenage half-sister, is crippled from polio. Life in East Berlin is hard, food is scarce, neighbors spy on each other, and the pressure to join the Soviet youth group is hard to resist. To make matters worse, the Soviets build a wall of concrete and barbwire, sealing off all access to West Berlin. When Sabine falls into a secret underground bunker, she and her friend Willi, a boy about her age, plot to make a tunnel that may lead their families to safety. In Beetle Bunker we feel the desperation of those in the Soviet section of Berlin. The Berlin Wall was a despicable structure, dividing families and destroying personal freedom. Rober Elmer does a good job of making the reader understand just how terrible it really was

Beetle Bunker is, IMHO, even more interesting than it's predecessor. It's fresh, action packed, and continues the saga from book one of The Wall series. Now Erich (from book one) is an adult and he's working in a hospital. His little sister, stricken with polio as a young child and unable to walk without braces, is almost a teenager and very assertive for a young girl. She knows what she wants...and will let nothing hinder her quest. She longs for freedom. Freedom in the west. But she's stuck in the east section of Berlin, the communist sector. So when she finds a bunker from WWII with a Volkswagen Beetle inside, a flicker of hope shines in the darkness. She devises a plan along with a mysterious boy her age named Willi, who has terrible vision and wears very thick glasses.

Many times while reading Beetle Bunker I totally forgot I was reading a children's story. I felt sucked into the book like I did when I read Jack Cavanaugh's post WWII series about communist Germany. Robert Elmer has a gift for writing children's novels with such depth that they stick with you. I remember reading Night by Eli Weisel as a child and I still remember every detail of that book even without the same redeeming message that Beetle Bunker contains. All of the values you want children to learn are in this wonderful story and I applaud Robert Elmer for bringing some dark portions of world history to light. May our children never forget...

In this second book to Elmer's The Wall Series, the saga continues from the point of view of Erich's thirteen-year-old half sister and is set in 1961. Sabine is claustrophobic as a result of being locked in a closet by a stern nurse and suffers from the affects of polio. She adores her older brother, now a doctor, who knew her American father, Fred Dewitt. All Sabine knows about her mother's second husband is that he died before her birth, and she yearns to know more. Sabine, joined by a newfound friend Willi, stumbles upon an old World War II bunker that contains an intact car, a beetle. When a wall of cement and barbed wire springs up overnight permanently dividing East and West Berlin, the Becker family is trapped. But both Erich and Sabine yearn for freedom. Sabine tells her brother about the bunker, so close to the wall that one could dig a tunnel to freedom. In spite of her disability and fear, Sabine heroically helps her brother and his friends dig the tunnel, an escape that will end in sacrifice. Those who enjoyed Elmer's first book in the series will be equally pleased with the drama and suspense that he so artistically entwines with accurate history.

Just like Candy Bombers, Beetle Bunker combines elements of the historical with characters that give insights to struggle, determination, and overcoming obstacles. Sabine is a wonderfully rich character who makes this second installment even better than the first. Erich, the central character in the first book, is grown up and a doctor in East Berlin. Sabine is his much younger sister handicapped by polio. Their family has moved to East Berlin with Oma to care for her as she is bedridden, and her unpleasant, communist-supporting "Uncle" and "Aunt" have chosen to take up residence as well. During this time of turmoil when the Wall was built, Sabine is busy campaigning against the Communists and planning an escape, as well as dodging her "Uncle" and "Aunt" and recruiters who try to force her to join the communist youth organization. Sabine's discovery of a bunker containing the shell of an antique Volkswagon Beetle and a friend at the hospital during her Oma's stay spark off this suspenseful adventure.
Elmer's easy-to-read style and enthralling plot twists make getting involved in the history and mystery a true joy.
Don't miss this one!

This book was suppose to be designed for children that are identified as SED or ADHD, yet I found myself (as a professional) getting confused. It would mention a topic in one chapter but follow up with 'we'll read more about that in another chapter.' Not good for many of the kids this book was made for.

We bought this for our 10 year old child with autism, it has a lot of humorous information that we have found useful. I am sure there are plenty of children who would benefit from this book

This book has been used as a resource in my social skills lessons. Working with students with ED, this book provides them with inforamtion about their disability in addition to strategies for behavioral improvement. It is written for kids and easy to understand.

Excellent resource for children. My daughter has enjoyed answering questions in the journal section and has taken in interest in learning ways to help herself. (fourth grader)

I have a 13 year old boy that has had trouble with behaviors for years. This book helps him understand that he is not the only one and talks to him in a way he can understand. We usually sit down and discuss his answers and this helps him stay focused. It also helps bring us closer together and opens the lines of communication.

Wonderful!

Reviewed by Dr. Carol Hoyer for Reader Views (3/08)

One of the things we mothers have is an incredible sense of things going wrong with our children. Barbara Coppo was no different. She and her husband Ken already had a beautiful healthy girl, when she found out she was pregnant again. She wasn't sure how she felt about being pregnant again now that she had a great career and her daughter was a teenager, but as time went on she was very excited and hoped that this pregnancy would bring her husband and her closer together. On February 1, 1978 she delivered a healthy boy whom they named Kenny. Kenny was the center of attention for his first year of life--adored by everyone. When it came time for Kenny to have his eighteen-month shots, Barbara got a "feeling," and wasn't sure what was causing the apprehension. After several lengthy discussions with her pediatrician, her husband and family members, she finally decided to get him his boosters.

On September 6th, 1979, Kenny got his last series of the d.p.t. booster - his life would change forever. After a few days, Kenny wasn't able to talk, walk or respond in his normal happy way. Even the doctor's were stumped as to what had happened-- they continued to explain that vaccines for children were very safe. And again the next day Kenny began to have convulsions -- still no reason why.

This was Kenny's life to this day-- seizures, mobility problems, no friends and he has characteristics of autism. Doctor's even had the gall to tell his mother that he was retarded. With numerous evaluations, behavioral schools, special classes and countless hours of care and research by his mother, it was realized Kenny would never be a normal child again.

Even through the years, pediatricians kept telling Kenny's parents that vaccines were safe. Yet one doctor finally told Barbara that through research it was indicated, after the d.p.t. vaccines, that some children became autistic, mentally-challenged and some even died. This is a parent's worse nightmare - all of us today think about the effect of vaccines on our children. Yet never once did Kenny's parents, friends, therapists give up on him. They continued to push him to the point that he was finally able to talk through the use of facilitative communication. No one even imagined he had all those thoughts and intelligence in him. He was very aware of his challenges and knew he was different. He was also very mathematically inclined.

To this day, Kenny is a loner, but has many friends and supporters. He loves to watch people through his upstairs window. He has a set routine that no one can upset or his violent behavior will come out. But he has made great strides even though he came across many obstacles with very little support from the school systems.

How does a mother do this? You do what you have to do to save your child, never take no for an answer. Many parents of children with special needs have been through this high and low road.

Having worked with family members who have children or adult children with special challenges for over 25 years, Barbara Coppo's story is the same for many of them. The frustration, anger and trying to figure out what they did to cause this. My personal and professional opinion is that everyone involved with children; teachers, coaches, school boards and therapists should read "The Boy in the Window" to get a first-hand knowledge of what families go through.

This story is moving and tragic. The book is about Kenny who is born healthy and develops normally until 19 months old, when he is given the DPT shot (which stands for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertusis). The next day he goes into seizures, which continue on for the rest of his life. He is eventually diagnosed with autism. Amazingly, early on, one of the doctors in the hospital tells Kenny's parents that it was the vaccine that caused the seizures. That would never happen today.

They eventually go to court and sue the vaccine manufacturer, which you can't do today. She says she learned a lot in the lawsuit that most people don't know, such as after a vaccine death the pharmaceuticals will plant false stories of a pertusis outbreak.

Kenny's parents are passionate advocates for their son and fight to get him into appropriate programs, which is quite difficult, because his condition is so severe. He is practically non-verbal, has violent outbursts, and runs like a cheetah. They go from one program to another for various reasons. They usually start out looking promising, but then staff changes, or they loose funding, or Kenny gets too old.

One of the more interesting sections is the one on facilitated communication (fc), which is almost 200 pages long. Fc is a method of assisting non-verbal people to communicate. The non-verbal person guides the facilitator to letters. Like most things in the autism community, it is controversial. In his fc, he expresses likes and dislikes, such as he wants more puzzles, he's bored at school, he wishes people wouldn't talk to him in baby talk, and he has a passion for stars. Stars are one of his past times, and he makes up exotic names for them. Some of the names he gives them are the correct scientific names, and they can find no way that he would have known that.

Through fc, they discover that Kenny is telepathic. Yes, I realize this sounds absurd in today's modern world. But this isn't the first time I've heard someone say that a child with autism knows what people think. On some level, we are all able to tell what people are thinking at certain times, maybe not as specifically as Kenny, but we've all known that someone couldn't be trusted, or that they liked us, or numerous other things. It's certainly an interesting twist in the story.

Unfortunately, he looses interest in fc somewhere along the line, so we quit seeing inside of his head. He also graduates from school at 22, because that's as far as the school system will support a disabled child. His mother definitely feels like he this was a big loss for the whole family, as he then only wants to sit and look out the window.

Barbara, Kenny's mother is the author, and like many other parents of children on the spectrum, her whole life has revolved around recovering and caring for her son. She has a couple of respite care workers that make it possible for her to have a little bit of time to herself, but now at the age of 65 she dreads the thought of her death, and Kenny being left behind. She has someone who has agreed to take him that she is as comfortable with as she can be in this circumstance. But, it is still a frightening proposition, the prospect of leaving behind an adult-child, that is so disabled, and that needs so much intense supervision and care.

When Kenny Coppo, Jr. was born on February 1, 1978 he was a healthy, thriving baby. He developed normally until he received a vaccination from the Wyeth Labs on September 6, 1979. From there, he developed autistic behaviors and his cognitive abilities were not as readily apparent. His 16-year-old sister Rhonda, always loving and protective of her brother was especially devastated. In addition to the autism, Kenny became epileptic and to this day takes anti-seizure medication.

Kenny's behavior appeared to be severely autistic and he made the rounds of special programs in the Bay Area. One especially good placement in the Spectrum School was where Kenny's cognitive abilities and special skills shone. Marginally verbal since 1979, Kenny worked with a team of dedicated and kind specialists on Facilitated Communication (FC), where he pointed to words or printed them out on a computer. It was at Spectrum where Kenny's telepathic abilities were uncovered. Those working with Kenny would think of a word and he would immediately print or point to it. From June 15, 1993 until August 7, 2000 transcripts of Kenny's sessions with his teachers have been provided. Readers get to travel with Kenny and take in his incredible progress.

Kenny also had a facination with stars and even named several. Some of the stars such as Vegas were ones he recognized and whose names he knew. This has yet to be explained. So far, the only explanation came from Kenny who said that he knew the stars' names and that the names came from space. He also demonstrated incredible mathematical skills and could point to the correct answer out of a list of multiple choice questions.

My favorite parts were when Rhonda sang with the Beatles as a toddler (good early cultural exposure) and Kenny's strong spirituality. During several of his FC sessions, he told his teachers that he knew Jesus; that Jesus would help him and made other deeply profound and poignant statements about the Lord Jesus Christ. I found that especially beautiful and moving. I also loved the part about a priest known for his healing ability developing a deep bond and rapport with Kenny.

This is an excellent book that will leave a lasting impression on readers. Kenny's behavior remains severely autistic, but he is clearly an intelligent person who, as he said can't talk as he is trapped in his mind. His attraction to windows seems especially a propos in light of his remarkable intelligence and interest in things celestial. Once he was able to express himself, he provided a window to galaxies (not Fords) that few ever imagined possible.

I found his expressions interesting and very a propos; I was also impressed by the fact that he taught himself to read. Kenny traveled down quite a Long & Winding Road and his story makes me think of the Grateful Dead classic, "Truckin'," because what a long, strange trip it's been!

This is an excellent reminder to all that talking in a normal fashion to a person who is nonverbal at worst, marginally verbal at best is an excellent way to show respect and to recognize that the person comes before the autism.

This is a story that touches my heart. Not only do we have 1 in 150 children with autism, we have a growing population of adults suffering the devastating effects of vaccine damage. The brother of an autistic boy recently said "If I could just go back in time, and stop that doctor from giving him all those shots everything would be different, but I can't."

There is a book that focuses on the DTP vaccine and all the damage it caused called A Shot in the Dark. Many people unfortunately believe the newer DTaP is safe, but there is evidence to the contrary in such books and DVDs as Vaccines: Are They Really Safe and Effective and Vaccines: What CDC Documents and Science Reveal.

Luckily there are stories out there of full recovery, such as Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism and He's Not Autistic But...: How We Pulled Our Son From the Mouth of the Abyss. Both women acknowledge the roll vaccines played in their son's illness.

This book is a real page turner. I was totally enthralled. Barbara is an excellent author. The book is well written, easy to follow, and very entertaining. Barbara tells a tragic story, however, it's done in a very comprehensive, compassionate, and humorous way. It's filled with love, showing the great lengths and perseverance that a mother will go through for her child. Although it's a personal journey for Barbara and Kenny, it will totally engulf you emotionally. Not only do you get the challenges and successes of Kenny... you also get to read about his thoughts and unusual abilities. It definitely left me wanting more. A must have piece of work.

What an awesome book, well written, easy to read, and sooo helpful! I saw my precious son all through out the book, and I finally felt someone understood our present struggles. I have received a lot of guidance via this book, and am eager to put all of it into practice. Everyone with a boy in their life ought to read this one.

My son age 7 years has difficulty recognising emotions.As a preschooler he was treated for a Specific Language Impairment(comprehension difficulties/language processing difficulties).His speech and language is now age appropriate.I asked the Speech Therapist for ideas to help his emotional understanding.She said I would have to ask the "Autism Professionals" even though my son does not have Autism!
I felt frustrated and misunderstood until I discovered this book. The author knows exactly where my son is coming from.At last I have found validation and help.This book is very readable.You can dip into it as it has an index or else read it chapter by chapter.The author also has an informative web-site.I would highly recommend this book.I only wish that the Professionals involved with my son knew what Dr Adam Cox(author) knows and understands!

I loved this book! It was a great tool to remind me to slow down, talk, and communicate with my two sons. Dr. Cox has a wonderful way to meld real-life examples with his parenting suggestions and I've been able to apply these lessons at home. The author's writing style is friendly & accessible which made it a joy to read. Highly recommended.

Hooray! A smart, energetic, and insightful parenting book. (I've read too many that rely on obvious little snippets such as: "if baby is crying, try comforting him.") This book was more interesting than I expected, and not only discusses important issues but then comes through on the critical part: what to do. The author makes a strong argument for the necessity of developing social and emotional intelligence in our sons, so that they can succeed in contemporary society. According to the author, in past generations, the strong stoic type of man may have been able to remain married and find a job grounded in physical labor, but modern relationships and economies demand a higher level of interpersonal awareness and communication skills. Boys who aren't helped to develop these skills--in ways that do not diminish their sense of masculinity and accomplishment--could be risking social and academic failure. Boys of all ages are discussed, but are divided into three main groups: shy and anxious boys, angry boys, and those who have developmental problems that make communication and relating more difficult. Because the author includes information about all kinds of situations, you might want to use your book as a reference and read the chapters that relate to your own child as it is clearly organized. I read all parts as I found it fascinating and helpful for understanding my son's friends and classmates. There's a particularly good section on dealing with school issues as well.

Reading this book is like taking a course with a great teacher who makes a subject come alive. Many case studies illustrate the author's points, and while there is a lot of depth to the ideas discussed, it's a very personable, approachable read. If you want a new perspective on why your son acts and reacts as he does, as well as practical ways to handle more challenging "boy" moments, read this and be inspired. As Cox says in the epilogue, "raising emotionally healthy boys is not a task for the timid or weak of spirit--it is a job for visionaries, parents who can see the men their sons will become. Parenting our children requires all the energy we can summon. It requires us to keep our wits, look with insight, and forgive ourselves when we make mistakes. It is both a job and a passion. And nothing we will ever do will be as important." Highly recommended.

I highly recommend this book for all parents or caregivers of boys, but especially if you have a boy with learning or attention problems (ADHD). This book not only gives very practical, realistic advice about how to understand your son if he is shy or withdrawn, but also provides great insight into why he may be reluctant to talk and how to bring him out. For many kids with learning disabilities and ADHD, the academic aspect gets focussed on but there can also be social problems at school and in the family. This book addresses both school and family issues, but we found the psychological insights to be extremely helpful in understanding why a fifth-grade boy would be having more trouble in school at this age, and also why he would talk about hobbies and technical things but couldn't tell us why he was getting upset. This book has also helped us understand an older teenager--and know when to step in and when it was fine to give him more space. When communication improves, behavior and respect tend to improve also. We've read some other "self-help" books but this was the first one that seemed to cover all our areas of concern. It's not filled with technical language but it was a "smarter" book than most we've read. Dr. Cox obviously knows about boys and understands what the day to day reality of most families is like. Despite the title, which might imply it's only for "quiet boys," it should be required reading for every parent of boys! We wish we had read this book sooner.

This book touches my heart. It is so typical of the many children who are lost through the cracks by our educational system. It shows real courage on the mother's part for never giving up on her son even in his darkest moments. The family was drawn into Brian's World as victims of circumstance.
So many children and their families suffer because their child has learning disabilities and most educational systems seem to turn a blind eye as our precious children turn to drugs and suicide to escape the torment and torture that awaits them inside our schools and at the hands of peers and authorities alike.
Brian was a bright young man who learned to cope the best way he knew how as he drifted through the cruel world in which he lived. I laughed at his antics and cried with his mother as she struggled to save her precious son.
I believe this is a book for all to read from 12 to 99 and especially for educators. I think Brian's short life has a message we need to hear before it is too late for yet another of our young people.
A must read to add to your summer list of reading materials you won't be able to put it down until you finsih. ...

"Brian's World" by far is one of the best written true stories I have ever read. Throughout the entire reading I felt the author was sitting beside me and telling me her story. She writes as though she was talking directly to me and you can feel it comes right from her heart with total honesty. Throughout reading "Brian's World" I found myself not being able to lay it down for any length of time; when I did lay it down I was right back with it in my hand and reading, just wanting to know more about this fine young troubled youth whose mother loved him unconditionally from the beginning of his life to the end. I recommend "Brian's World" to all parents around the world.

Catherine Roberts writes courageously about her struggle to protect, support and encourage her son from illness in infancy through learning disabilities to drug and alcohol addiction. Catherine faced the many challenging situations in raising a learning-disabled child with grace and dignity and ALWAYS with her son's best interests at heart. She shares with us hers and Brian's tale, honestly, truthfully and frankly. The book is chock-full of emotion and interspersed with pain and humour.

Catherine Roberts writes courageously about her struggle to protect, support and encourage her son from illness in infancy through learning disabilities to drug and alcohol addiction. Catherine faced the many challenging situations in raising a learning-disabled child with grace and dignity and ALWAYS with her son's best interests at heart. She shares with us hers and Brian's tale, honestly, truthfully and frankly. The book is chock-full of emotion and interspersed with pain and humour.

I laughed, I cried, I felt the pain of Brian and his mother as they journyed through life trying to find a place where Brian would fit in. I know this story all too well and I could relate to all the turmoil that this family faced. I could feel their pain as teachers and authorities alike labeled Brian and condemed him. I cried as peers tormented and ridiculed this loving caring child. It was the fact that Brian was taken from an outgoing child model to the depths of substance abuse as he looked for peer acceptance that broke my heart. I wanted to shake him many times as he manipulated his loving mother to get his own way. He certainly learned the system and how to play it at the expense of his mom. But through it all she showed Brian unconditional love and acceptance never faultering or giving up on her precious youngest child. When you read some of the funny things Brian did as he grew into his teenage years, it is hard to realize that he understood the english language so litterly in its content. Brian was a very bright child who thought very seriously about the future and what he wanted even as a child. I loved the story about him at about age 10 when attending a business meeting/ tour of Weyerhauser he asked the Weyerhauser representitive how much money he earned. But his explanation for the question was extremely well thought out for a ten year old. I also enjoyed and laughed through the story of Brian's practice driving his fathers antique car and then after getting hooked on the garage painted it with wood paint and a paint brush in hopes no one would notice. I was apaulled to learn that Brian after being rehabilitated for 10 months in juvenille hall was let out with no place to go and no support form the system. This is so typical of what happens to many of our youth today. I commend Catherine on a job well done. I would recommend this book to all from teens through seniors. My grandmother read this book as did some of my students and all of us gave rave reviews. I would recommend that all teachers and people working with troubled youth especially the youth justice system take the time to read Brian's World. You won't be able to put it down until you get to the back cover. I can't wait to read Catherine's next book.

THis book was so so helpful when I found out my daughter was dyslexic and gifted. This man's journey is amazing and inspiring!

I always thought everybody struggled like I did until I read this book. For the first time in my 37 years of life, things made sense. His struggles, fears and victories were all things I could relate to. It was as if I was looking in a mirror. I took the 71 question quiz at the end of the book and scored high on all but two questions. I always thought dyslexia was the inablility to read because of transposing letters. Now I know it is far more than that. I have purchased a copy for each of my loved ones in hopes they will be able to understand me and my learning disorder. Best of all, I can use Abraham Schmitt as proof that I don't have to stay within the walls of my fear and limitation. I highly recommend this book to every school teacher, everyone who struggles with surmountable odds or fear of any kind, and people like me, who label themselves "a stupid genius". Not only is it an eye-opener about dyslexia, but it is an unforgetable story about an unforgetable man.

Dyslexia was not the only barrier Abraham Schmitt faced. Dr. Schmitt also had to adapt to the modern world of the mid 40's after having lived his whole life in a German-dialect Mennonite community that had not evolved in 200 years. His willingness to take large risk, leave behind his community, language and culture while doggedly working towards a college education is beyond admirable. His chronic fears and anxieties over being perceived as an idiotic 'peasant' are wrenching; as are the accounts of the cruel treatment he frequently received. There were thoughtless people, and beautifully caring people who are marvelously drawn in this book. His biography shows the miracles that will, faith, and determination to find your 'place' in the world, can acheive. It needs to be required reading for the chronically discouraged.

I could not but help reading this book over night.As a teacher in junior high school in Taiwan, I am quite accoutomed to kids have the same problems as Abraham described in this exotic book. I am absorbed by his tremendous effort to overcome his hereditary setback and use his right brain hemisphere to achive great success in a society designed by and for the left brain people. And I learned an important lesson in this book, a word in time is really a great help to people around you. Without the encouraging words, Abraham might have given himself in his early life when he felt frustrated and embarrassed. After reading this book, I am deeply concerned that I can help my students with my words just like those wonderful guys in Abraham's life who gave him kind concern and help. And those concern and help turned out to be a blessing to a poor yound man and make him be someone. Gee, that's great.Everyone needs someone else to encourage him, and everyone can be someone else's lucky-giver.

This book is excellent. I couldn't put it down. It is refreshing but sad to see how a dyslexic person struggles through even the smallest tasks. Mr schmitt tells about his dyslexic life. He is the brilliant idiot--he holds several college degrees but can't tie his shoes and can't teach school. Anyone who knows someone with a learning disability will enjoy this book. It will bring a better understanding of what a learning disabled person has to overcome--and provides proof positive that it can be done! It is a truly sad but remarkable journey that Mr. Schmitt will take you on if you read this book. You will laugh and cry and your heart will break. But such a happly ending.

A great book listing numerous coping strategies through "how it was for me" situations. Often funny, but never patronising, this book deserves to be the subject market leader for a long time to come. The section on bullying is particularly thought provoking. If you want to know what goes on inside a dyspraxic mind this is what you need!

I highly recommend Caged in Chaos because it is a book on Dyspraxia like no other. There are many academic "how to's" regarding this often mis-understood disability, but not one on what it actually is like to be dyspraxic. I really loved the fact that this book gives readers a snapshot into the dyspraxic child's (or teenager's) world. Caged in Chaos sets itself apart from all other books on the subject. How can we really help those with dyspraxia if we don't know what it feels like to walk in their shoes? Also, author Victoria Biggs' light sense of humor is very refreshing. She's an amazing person -- and terrific role model for my dyspraxic son.

This book is fantastic. It's positive, witty and full of practiacal advice for people with dyspraxia and related disorders. It is intelligently and sensitively written. Reading a book by a fellow dyspraxic, who has come through more than most people is really uplifting. Ms Biggs is well informed about dyspraxia. The book is realistic but optimistic about what is is possible for a dyspraxic person to achieve. I congratulate Victoria Biggs.

As the parent of a dyspraxic pre-teen, I have found that while there is an increasing amount of information available about dyspraxia (a.k.a. apraxia), there is not much out there about dyspraxia in older kids and young adults. Not only is "Caged in Chaos" just such a resource, but it provides an insider's point of view, as the author is dyspraxic herself (an extra star for that fact alone.)

In addition to providing many helfpul coping strategies, "Caged in Chaos" also reaffirms that "you are not alone." I lost count of the number of times that that the author mentioned experiences that my child is going through, too. As the general public is largely unfamiliar with dyspraxia, it is quite comforting to know that there are others out there that are sharing similar things.

Finally, a book that tells in simple terms what being Dyspraxic is all about. We have a beautiful 7 year old grandchild that is challenged by this condition. This book has given us wonderful ideas on how to make her life easier and help her along the way. This is a "must read" for families who have been touched by Dyspraxia.