Disabilities Books

Jodies journey is great. Jodie is a girl who loves horseriding, but during a competition something goes terribly wrong. She can never horseride again. But that dosont stop her determination to be a normal girl. By Paul.

Jodies Journey is an excellent book for anyone over the age of 10. Jodie is a a 12 year old girl who is an excellent horse rider. Not long after winning a riding competition Jodie finds out she has rheumatoid arthritis. She will never be able to ride her beloved horse Monarch again. This book is set in the Adelaide Hills, Australia. Jodie has many challenges to over come one of them being surviving the Ash Wednesday bush fires and keeping Monarch out of danger. Colin Thiele is a excellent author and I recommend strongly that you read this incredible story of a young girl fighting a crippling disease.

Written by Colin Thiele, Jodies Journey is a book that children from 7 years old to adults 120 years old will all enjoy with the same enthusiasm. It is about Jodie, a girl who has just won a big riding competition, getting arthritus. Her feelings are explained well, just as if the writer was Jodie,writing an auto-biography. Her pain is felt by the reader. I have been a fan of Colin Thiele for years, and I still read this book as often as I can. My name is Elizabeth and I am 12 years old. I've read the book and recomended it to mum, who loved it as well

This book is great. Jodie is a very strong little girl. She has a horse named Monarch and she feels they are soul mates. They compete in jumping contest and win quite a few. One day her hands and knees started hurting her. The pain got worse and worse until one day she went to the doctor. The doctor told her she had rheumatoid arthritis. Jodie was crushed that she would never ride again. She is put in a wheelchair and has to learn how to live again. This book tells all of her adventures and how strong she is. I could not put it down. I would recommend anyone reads it.

not only was joey moses a shelter dog, he was one in a million. at least after susan duncan came along. she came looking for a new service dog, her previous one having died recently. her first thought was that she was too distraught to even consider a new dog now, but when she and joey met, it was love at first sight. for both.

susan, who works for the delta society®, and knows all there is to know about service dogs, writes from personal, as well as professional, experience. a book not to be missed.

I have been a physician for twelve years, but never knew how beneficial a service dog could be for a patient with limited mobility. This book vividly describes the real life obstacles a person encounters when she has a disability, and should be required reading for all pre-meds.

Joey Moses is a well-written account of a stray-turned-working-dog. Although aimed at a younger audience, it is enjoyable for people of all ages, dog lovers or not. Ms. Duncan's style of writing engages the reader immediatley and will not let go until the end of the book. The story is part adventure, part success, and all highly entertaining. It shows how persistance, love, and hard work can really pay off in the end. Joey Moses is an inspirational story that I would reccomend to anyone who likes to read.

When I saw this book I was trying to decide whether to train my own service dog or remain on a service dog provider's long list. After reading JOEY MOSES, I was encouraged and informed about the challenges and the hope that lied ahead. While I cannot claim that the mixed breed I rescued and trained to become my service dog will EVER win a national honor such as Joey did, I love my service dog partner and am grateful there was a book available like Susan's to encourage me along. An informative read about what these great dogs do for individuals with disabilites as well.

Sharlee Glen, Keeping Up with Roo (Putnam, 2004)

Short, poignant story about growing up with a mentally challenged family member. Gracie and her Aunt Roo play together all the time when Gracie is younger, but when second grade rolls around, Gracie finds her time taken up by other things, and is embarrassed by Roo when a friend comes over. Tension comes to a satisfying, if predictable, conclusion. Must-read for families with kids in this situation; other children will enjoy the cheery illustrations and slightly above-average reading level if they like a challenge. *** ½

What a wonderful place this world would be if we could all be Gracies and recognize the joy of loving and accepting those different than ourselves. As I cried my way through this endearing and sensitive book, I hoped its message of love and acceptance could reach all people of all ages. Thank you Sharlee!

I loved this story about a girl growing out of and back into a love of her mentally challenged aunt. It made me cry out loud and almost wish I'd had an aunt like hers to show me the way.

This sweet story of a young girl and her mentally challenged aunt touched my heart and made me cry. My six year old son and I loved it!

Leading Ladies and Marlee's other two books"Nobody's Perfect and Deaf Child Crossing" are a wonderful series of books that I would reccomend that all girls read. My daughter and I enjoy reading about Megan. My daughter is Hard of Hearing and it is great that she has a series of books where she can relate to the main character.

Great life lessons for pre-teens and empowering for those kids who may not be included in the "majority" group in their community. Your kids will want to read all the adventures of the protagonist in Matlin's series of books. My suggestion is to just go ahead and buy each of her books, you won't be sorry.
Also, for older ASL students, this book is a very quick read (yep, you can do it in one or two sittings) and a beginner's glimpse into one view of deaf culture.

Marlee Matlin and Doug Cooney craft a beautiful book about childhood friendship and difficult issues that have to be faced. The book is leaves you with a warm feeling and the characters play out their story with heartwarming results.

Marlee Martin and Doug Cooney's LEADING LADIES continues the story of spunky deaf child Megan in a sequel following her fourth grade adventures, directed to ages 8-12. Here her class is putting on their own original musical based on Wizard of oz - and Megan wants to be the star, and sign Dorothy's part. When a friend from camp transfers into her class from her all-deaf school and covets the same songs, trouble ensues in this lively and positive story.

This book is an indispensable tool of guidance and assistance for students with learning disabilities. Coming from the ideal "source" as it does, the reader is further provided with a sense of reassurance.

Now in a newly revised edition, Learning How To Learn: Getting Into And Surviving College When You Have A Learning Disability by Joyanne Cobb (Project Manager on Youth-Focused Projects for Maximus inc.) is an extremely practical guide to doing well on the SAT or ACT tests; finding the right college; managing one's time; making the most of assistive technology, and more. Written especially for those who must deal with a learning disability, yet filled with useful advice for all current and potential college students, Learning How To Learn is very highly recommended as an instructional and preparation resource for the college bound.

This is a book that should be on every shelf of High School Students and their parents!

Great tips; Great Advice; Real life experience! Every parent should take a look!

I agree with the other reviewers that this is an excellent book that should be read by everyone on the autism spectrum.

The only drawback is that she writes from the viewpoint of her own particular disabilities. Several times she suggested getting help from others, which was useless for me since approaching others is my biggest problem. She also spent a greater part of the book going on about sensory issues - some autists have few sensory problems until they are already stressed from other issues.

The most helpful part of the book for me was the sections on dealing with "Executive functioning" issues - bathing, doing dishes, cleaning house - regularly. I had made significant improvement on some areas before reading it, but it helped me to see why I had so much trouble, and to extend my improvement to other areas.

This book is well written and a wonderful tool for older teens on up to adults (on the autism spectrum) to help navigate the world. Many topics covered include: grocery shopping, renting an apartment, traveling, interviewing for a job, housekeeping, family relationships, dating relationships, friends etc. Ms. Zaks breaks down each area into bite sized pieces to help her audience deal with social and sensory issues. She has wonderful down to earth advice like keeping a sensory emergency pack on hand and being prepared for social interactions before they happen. Reading this as a "neuro-typical," I found this to be a terrific resource to help those on the spectrum become more independent by addressing their challenges directly. It's a wonderful book full of easy to follow tools and suggestions. I think every teen with Aspergers graduating high school (and those already out of high school) should obtain this book!! GREAT INSIGHT. Joanna K-V, Author, A IS FOR AUTISM, F IS FOR FRIEND

If you are an adult on the autism/Asperger's (a/A) spectrum, be sure to make this book one of your best friends. Zaks, herself an adult with Asperger's will act as your tour guide and take you on a Magical Mystery Tour of life with autism for adults.

Gifted and resourceful, she has outlined a list of action plans for staying socially savvy at parties; in romantic venues and on the job. Tips for maintaining a neat household and managing money are also included. Tips on how to decode neurotypical (NT) expressions are also included. Intersensory relationships (a/A and NT) are also explored along with developing strategies for appropriate/acceptable behavior.

One of the best parts is the advice she gives on when and how to let it be known one is on the a/A spectrum. This book makes me think of several Beatles' songs: 1) George Harrison's 1966 gem, "I Want to Tell You" in re disclosing placement on the spectrum; 2) 1967's "A Day in the Life" because NT readers will see what a day in the life of many on the spectrum can be like and 3) Paul McCartney's 1967 "Magical Mystery Tour" because with Zaks as your tour guide, you see autism demystified.

Ideal with Jerry Newport's book, Your Life is Not a Label: A Guide to Living Fully with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome This is a must have for any adult on the spectrum or directly involved with others who are. This Godsend deserves a place of honor and is really for everybody!

Zosia Zaks, who was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at age 31, presents a "peer-to-peer" guide for fellow adults with Asperger's and high-functioning autism drawn from the creative strategies she has devised to cope since her childhood, in Life and Love: Positive Strategies for Autistic Adults. Chapters discuss practical means for handling sensory issues including strategies for navigation, how to facilitate maintaining a clean and orderly home, how to shop for necessities without becoming distracted or vulnerable to impulse purchases, health care and vocational challenges, issues to keep in mind when dating from health and safety concerns to inappropriate versus appropriate behavior, things to keep in mind when trying to make autism spectrum/non-spectrum relationships work, advice for when and how to disclose one's autism spectrum diagnosis, and much more. An utterly invaluable guide for autism-spectrum adults to dealing with the large and small trials of ordinary life one day at a time.

Lisa's Asperger syndrome(AS) reminds me of my childhood; I hated groupism and still do. And I had some clumsy motor skill, so PE classes were a real nightmare. But I would say she is a lot happier than I was in my childhood. Nobody knew anything about AS and neither did I. On the other hand, she is smart enough to know so much about her AS and her Mom does, too. And luckily enough, she has an AS friend, Ben and Andy. Especially, in chapter 17, I was quite impressed by the discussion between Lisa's Mom and Ben's. "...Aspies are very interesting children and it's refreshing to see the world from a different point of view." - You couldn't say that if you had never dealt with people with AS.

After all, Kathy Hoopmann's books help me learn a lot about AS, and Lisa and the Lacemaker is no exception.

We have all the books in this series so far: Blue Bottle Mystery, Of Mice and Aliens and now Lisa and the Lacemaker. I have to agree with the other reviewer who said this is the best book yet. Very touching, much more plausible than the other two (ok, ok, so it's a ghost story, but still.) I almost didn't get this book because I thought it would appeal more to girls and I have a newly diagnosed 8-yr-old Aspie, however, we read the other two books in one day each and he DEMANDED the Lacemaker book. We were delighted to discover that Ben and Andy were in it, and that this Lisa is the Lisa from Of Mice and Aliens. The common thread was there (no pun intended) and it was easy for us to slip right into the story. The books are imaginative and not mere tutorials on AS although they help with that too. Good for boys and girls. My son loves them and is eagerly awaiting the next!

My 8 year old son has AS. He discovered his disability by reading the Blue Bottle Mystery by the same author. Since then, we have bought the 2 other books. This book is mainly about a girl with AS. It is so beautiful to read, especially that it is not only about a disability, but it is also introducing a work of art that is rare, lacemaking... Kids and adults will get a chance to think about how intricate lacemaking is and how much patience it takes, and how AS is intricate and patience it requires. Everyone in my family has read those books, and I have recommended it to the school and to our friends.

One of the best mysteries featuring a protagonist with Asperger's Syndrome. I like this one even better than the Ben books!

Lisa, a tween (8-12) has Asperger's Syndrome (AS) which is the spectrum partner to autism. Readers are introduced to her as she suffers the sensory agony of wearing a dress with a scratchy neck (one can really feel for her there) and the loud guests at her grandmother's party. Lisa does not get the point of small talk; considers it a waste of time and often is baffled by negative responses to her blunt, direct comments, such as when she told a smoker that his cigarettes caused cancer.

She is rigid about routines and what she eats; she does not like suprises - no surprise there. Show me a person with AS who doesn't hate surprises and I'll show you a flying bulldog that can tap dance. However, things brighten up when she meets her great-aunt Hannah, a delightful lady in whom she confides having Asperger's.

Hannah is a wonderful character; she sparks an interest in lacemaking in the young girl. She accepts her unquestioningly; teaches her about lace making and the bond between the two does make for a very sweet story indeed.

Ben, whom readers have met in Hoopmann's other books is part of their AS group. He is gifted at math, science and computers; Lisa at literature and remembering long passages of written text. Their respective mothers marvel at how different and similar their AS children are. Both have no clue as to how to interact socially; their special interests and extraordinary skills are in vastly different areas, yet isolate them from other peers.

Andy, Ben's friend whom readers know from Hoopmann's other books is in this one as well, acting as social tour guide and general factotum. When the children discover an abandoned hut on the grounds, they enter and make quite a discovery. They unearth secrets about Lisa's great-aunt Hannah, who worked there as a servant girl decades earlier and the landowner's son.

After doing some online sleuthing, these cyber bloodhounds track William down and reunite him with Hannah, who is in a nursing home. While their reunion is a sweet one, it does not degenerate into a cliche predictable ending. There are some bizarre parts, such as the element of the supernatural. Even so, that does not take anything away from the story. I like the way explanations of making lace as well as the tools for making it (tatting) have been included. This is a delightful story about how there are no boundaries to the AS mind! I love it!

This book is among the top of my favorites! The story is inspiring and heartwarming. Excellent writing puts you back in the 1930s-40s and brings the characters to life. It was one of thoughs books that made me feel like I could relate with the characters on such a deep level as if they were real people! Reading about them was almost like visiting them as friends... Comming to the end of this book was difficult cuz I didn't want it to end!

This is one of my favorite books! Anna Solden is 14 year old German girl living in Canada in the 1940s. She begins her first year at a normal high school after years of special classes at a special school due to her very poor eyesight. She experiences predjudice from one of her teachers because of her German background, but makes several new friends regardless. Her brother Rudi, oldest of the 5 Solden children, goes off to fight in the war, but returns blind. Anna helps him cope with his dramatically altered lifestyle, and the two of them become close friends despite Rudi's cruelty towards Anna in earlier years. (In "From Anna")Listen for the Singing is an amazing book, and I would recommend it to teens especially.

This is the sequel to "From Anna" Anna is now in high school, and on the first day she is so nervous!!!! She makes tons of new friends, and helps her brother Rudi cope with being blind. Rudi injers his eyes when he goes off to war. I loved this book!!!!!

This is truly a masterpiece. Anna Solden, the central character in "From Anna," makes a reappearance in this book. Anna, now 15 is in high school. It is the height of the Second World War and Anna has outgrown her Sight Savers class and has entered high school. Unfortunately, her good friend Isobel who stuck by her throughout their elementary school years together attends a different school.

Anna's life has certainly improved since her early days in Canada. Her Sight Savers teacher has married her (Anna's) doctor and they have named their daughter after Anna. Anna finally connects with the redoubtable oldest brother Rudi after Rudi is blinded in an accident while serving active duty. (As Germans in Canada, the Soldens face all kinds of discrimination because of the anti-German sentiments that stemmed from the Holocaust atrocities). This gently written, beautiful book helps remind folks that prejudice of any kind does not work and only exacerbates existing problems. Rudi tries to prove that point by serving in the Allied Forces. Once he is blinded and shipped home, it is Anna who nurses him back to health.

She reminds him of how his cruel taunting of her during her early years hurt her to the point of retreat; she reminds him that his cruel nickname for her ("Awkward Anna") was a painful memory she'll never be able to shed. She forces Rudi to confront his newly altered lifestyle; she forces him to learn Braille and to work with their father in the store. Anna encourages and reinforces Rudi every step of the way and literally forces her brother out of his self-imposed shell. During the Braille sessions, Anna learns alongside of Rudi because of her own very low vision.

Near the close of the story, Anna said when birds were out she would "listen for the singing," even if she couldn't see them. What a positive and affirming life statement! I found myself using that very same expression from time to time. Anna is truly a classic character and one who will remain part of one's heart. I love this book.

WOW! I was worrying if it was old book but it was so neat. WHEW!! I read it and put it away in the shelf. I feel good to read. Thank you!

This book reminds parents of deaf children how crucial it is that they give their child a language rich environment regardless of whether they decide on signing or not. I am an educational interpreter and see children who are so far behind on their language skills because they don't get enough language support at home. I really encourage anyone who has a deaf child or works with deaf children to read this book.

A truly outstanding and eye-opening resource for parents of deaf children. Our deaf son is 14 months old and we have been reading numerous publications to try to prepare ourselves for his education. This book is full of important and eye-opening recommendations that I'm sure we will use on a daily basis in the years to come.

David A. Stewart and Bryan R. Clarke are two dedicated teachers with years of experience working with deaf children. In Literacy And Your Deaf Child: What Every Parent Should Know, Stewart and Clarke effectively collaborate to create an instructional guide specifically appropriate for parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children who want to do everything they can to ensure their hearing-impaired child learns to read and write with fluency and competence. Also discussed are the practices and issues of hearing aids, cochlear implants, speech reading, and sign communication. Emphasizing the developmental link between American Sign Language and English literacy for children who learn and use it, Literacy And Your Deaf Child is an excellent informational and guide volume and is very highly recommended for anyone who works with hearing-disabled children.

THIS BOOK WAAS VERY GOOD. IT GAVE THE EXPEIRNCES OF PARENTS MWHO HAD KIDS THAT WHERE AUTISTIC. I BOUGHT AND READ IN ONLYA FEW DAYS.

Living With Autism is a collection of candid, informative and revealing parental stories of what it is like to live with autistic children on a day to day basis. Author Kathleen Dillon provides a review of the professional literature defining and diagnosing autism, securing adequate treatment, family stress, social stigma, and all of the aspects and elements of life with an autistic charge. Highly recommended reading for parents and caretakers of autistic children, Living With Autism is enhanced with a "Parent's Questionnaire" and "Suggestions For Parents", references, glossary, and an index.

No jargon. No hype. No claims of "miracle cures". Just an honest, realistic account of the lives of the families of six autistic children. Parents of autistic children are bound to find much to reassure them that they are not alone. Others will learn a great deal about the problems, pressures and challenges facing the parents of any disabled child.

i have read many books dealing with the subject of autism and i feel this book has the most accurate information. from the author's prospective & researched information you get a step by step introduction to the effects of autism on the families. honest & straightforward... w/o hyping miracle cures (i.e. vitamins, drug therapy) or understating the massive effect an autistic child has on the family. for anyone who is close to a family with an autistic child this is a must read..... the 6 children whose parents were interviewed give an honest, clear account of what day-to-day life is like with an autistic child. funny, heartwarming, sad and informative if you buy any book about autism, buy this one! i've read 24 plus books on autism, this one is by far the best