Special Needs Children Books

This book provides an up front look at how to help children deal with meeting someone who is differently abled. It is worded so young children
in preschool can understand what they should or could do if they meet
someone who is different from them. The pictures provide an additional learning tool to discuss how the children are feeling on each page. Overall I think this book is a 5 star book and could be used just about
anywhere!!
Carla

I loved this book. It is difficult to find books that discuss disabled people. This book showed the many ways in which people with and without disabilities are alike. It also told children how to become acquainted with another child and that they might become good friends. This book talked about people who need different types of assistive technology devices like wheelchairs or talking devices. Overall, this was an excellent book. I would use it in my preschool classroom to introduce different types of disabilities to the students.

I ordered this book for my sister, who's 2 year old son has cerebral palsy. My idea was that she could place it in her local day care center that my nephew attends so that the other kids could have some of their questions answered about kids with special needs. This book really fit the bill..it is clear and concise, and seemed to address lots of questions that I have heard other children asking. Other than just seeing that something is "wrong" or different, maybe after reading the book they will realize that diversity is a part of life and that people with special needs can be just as fun and interesting as everyone else! The book really helped put into words what I would like kids to know about meeting and interacting with kids with disabilites. I also ordered "Someone special just like you", but found the Extraordinary friends book to be a much better choice for my particular needs.

I am now 15, but nine years ago when I was only six years old and in first grade, Lilly's Secret was my favorite book. I remember getting so excited to read it every night, and bringing it to class to copy the pictures with my best friend. We would draw these adorable cats for hours on end. I still read it sometimes, it is the best thing I can do to cheer myself up! The story and pictures are so sweet, whenever I see them I smile. I would definitely recommend this book to kids, especially any kitty-loving girls like me.

I work in the children's section of the local library, and as a result I have seen countless picture books and easy readers circulate hundreds of times. One work that is rarely on the shelf, though, is Lilly's Secret. What makes this book so different?

One of the most difficult tasks for finding a book for a child is getting one that both entertains and teaches. Lilly's Secret, with its adorable characters and vivid drawings, captures every child's attention. Its lesson of acceptance is both simple to comprehend and yet a powerful message. It's also succinct, which fits the unfortunately far too short attention span of today's youth.

I highly recommend Lilly's Secret, every child should read it at least once.

My daughter loves this book. The pictures are well done. But most of all this book has a great story and message. It really encourages the reader to like people for who they are. I would recomend this for any 1-2nd grader....

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.

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!

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!

As an occupational therapist using Dunn's Model of Sensory Processing as a conceptual framwework for my post professional master's thesis, this book provides laymens's terminology rather than the therapy lingo. It is an excellent source to help non-therapists understand themelves and the concepts the therapists use. It is user friendly and has many good ideas for the basic functions of living. I highly recommend it for occupational therapists as a good resource to keep handy for those teaching moments.

I couldn't put this book down. I have read it twice and got more out of it the second time. It really helped me understand my partner and children. Who knew he was an "avoider" and not ignoring me. ha. It can be applied to everyone in your life.

This is a top notch book that clearly explains how the senses affect what happens to you throughout the day. It helps you understand your partner, child, or anyone else you deal with in a relationship and how to make it better. Must read. Best part is that it is a fun read and a quick one. The quiz is a lot of fun.

This book is written by a parent and grandparent of a childhood cancer survivor and has many quotations from other parents whose children have or had cancer. They've been there...they know what you are going through. Bulleted lists of quick tips and tricks are extremely helpful for busy parents who have little time for reading while in the throes of treatment. For those times when a parent finds they have too much time on their hands, like during admissions and while waiting umpteen hours in hospital waiting rooms, the book reads easily and is full of practical coping advice and resources. I only wish that this book had been available when my son was on treatment!

I highly recommend this book for parents of children with cancer. It provides precisely what the title promises: 'A practical guide to help families cope.' Unfortunately, this book was not available until my son was off-treatment for cancer; today, turning the pages of the book , I find the reading comforting, cozy . . . kind of like sitting down and talking with a good friend. The authors know what I felt during those first stressful years of treatment, and if I had had the book then, I would have felt both comforted and armed with methods to deal with the psychological turmoil that comes with hearing those words "your child has cancer". Woznick and Goodheart include useful chapters on relieving pain and side effects, encouraging child development during treatment, and building self-esteem in your child, as well as a chapter on dying and grieving. The book also has an excellent resource section, forty-four pages of annotated listings of helpful organizations, support groups, web sites, books, and videos.

My son's friend was diagnosed 1 week ago with Leukemia. I am so thankful that I came across this book for this family. This book is a must have for anyone who is going thru this diagosis. It is full of information, tips and inspirational quotes from everyday people who have experienced cancer first hand.

I would say this is my favorite book on Autism. It's written in such a positive manner! It's a book that really helps you come to grips with everything that goes along with Autism. It covers everything from diagnosis, medical, children-teens, adults, wills & trusts. It's great for anyone new to Autism. I love it!

As a teacher of students with autism, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more and family and friends of someone with autism. Dr. Cimera writes in a conversational tone that is friendly and while informative, not overly technical. The book does not focus on the negative, but accentuates the positive.

I'm a college student getting my degree in elementary education. In addition I have a four year-old son who is high-functioning autistic. I decided to write my term paper for one of my classes on autism and came across this book in the library. What a refreshing book to read after the mounds and mounds of books I had to go through that put such a negative spin on autism. This book gave wonderful insight and information on all aspects of autism in a relaxed and realistic way. It was almost as if I was sitting down with the author talking about autism over coffee. The book isn't written as methodically as many of the other books I have read on this subject, yet still gave very good information.
With the almost pandemic rate of children being diagnosed with autism, parents need books like these to say 'hey, so your child has autism, that isn't necessarily a bad thing'. This book doesn't dwell too much in the past scrutinizing over WHY your child has autism, it looks at the NOW and the FUTURE and says what can we do to turn this into something positive. What can we do for the child NOW.

This book is well-organized, well-written, full of excellent information, and inspires real hope. Hope for marriages that are struggling, and also hope for stable marriages that they can be even better. This book is so much more than the typical advice to "take time for yourselves," or "go on dates with your spouse." It's full of concrete suggestions and thought-provoking analogies that I read, and then re-read, because they really fit my life. This book surprised me by giving me more insight into my husband's mind-set, even after 6 years of parenting special-needs children. The focus of much of the book is problem solving, and successfully, even joyfully, adjusting to life with these special kids. The chapter on divorce considerations is very real, very practical, and goes way beyond what most books cover. All in all, this is a valuable resource for couples parenting special-needs children!

As the mother of two children with cystic fibrosis, I really resonated with this book. I saw my own marriage and our challenges on many of these pages.

We "special needs parents" have so much in common no matter what our diagnosis is. Lack of time and energy, high levels of frustration and unrelenting stress can take its toll on a marriage. This book explains the challenges and presents realistic strategies for overcoming them.

The authors are clearly experts in their field and have interviewed many couples who are "living it." It feels good to know that we are not alone in our struggles and that what we experience is normal given our, at times, overwhelming situation. Laura and Fran's deep compassion shines through their words and will change many lives.

For additional resources for raising special needs children, see the new book Parenting Children With Health Issues: Essential Tools, Tips, and Tactics for Raising Kids With Chronic Illness, Medical Conditions, and Special Healthcare Needs

Written by professor of counseling Laura E. Marshak, Ph.D. and speech/language pathologist and parent trainer Fran Pollock Prezant, M.Ed., CCC-SLP, Married with Special-Needs Children: A Couples' Guide to Keeping Connected is a valuable guide for married couples to adjusting to raising a disabled child. From techniques for communication and problem-solving, to making time for romance and sexual intimacy, to practical solutions for practical problems (information overload, financial issues, time constraints, fatigue, etc.), to stress management strategies, what to do when a marriage is seriously troubled, divorce and remarriage considerations, and much more, Married with Special-Needs Children is utterly invaluable in its nonjudgmental, serious-minded approach to coping with long-term, life-altering changes.

A very well written and informative book. It provided information and insight into the illness of schizophrenia. I learned much from reading it and gained new insight and perspective about the disease. We all need to know more about mental illness-only when we all do, can we collectively remove the stigma attached to it. Thank you for writing this personal and painful tale and educating me.

I've enjoyed the book. I agree that a lot of people with schizophrenia do not accept their illness and we need to understand that.

As a psych nurse, I found this book to be not only accurate, but very engaging. There are a couple others with different Axis I diagnoses that I'm going to get as well. Thinking of purchasing some for the psych unit to help newly-diagnosed folks understand this isn't the end of the world, there is hope, and there are others out there who understand.

As a parent of a child with Down syndrome, I loved this book! Meet Annie is a wonderful book to read to any child who might need a better understanding about how people with DS are just like anyone else!

"Meet Annie" is an adorable book written by a mother with a daughter who just happens to have Down syndrome. The book does a wonderful job of showing the many ways that Annie is just like everyone else and gives the children the opportunity to stop and realize just exactly how much more alike they are than different from Annie. The illustrations in the book a very cute and appealing to the eye.

As a parent with a daughter who has DS, I plan to read a book to her class each year and this one will be a great one to share! Many thanks to Heather J. Scharlau-Hollis for writing this wonderful book!!!

Meet Annie is an adorable book written by Heather J. Scharlau-Hollis, who has a daughter with Down syndrome. Annie has Down syndrome and she describes all the way she is "just like you." This is an easy read book for kids and gets the message across that, "We need to understand that we are all different and those differences make us who we are."

Each page shows Annie doing or feeling something, and then has a question for the reader - I like how that engages the reader to think about things too. For instance one page says, "I love to play with my toys just like you. I like my balls and baby dolls best. What is your favorite toy?"

My 5-yr old daughter really likes this book - I've lost track of how many times she's asked us to read it!

Inspirational and heartwarming story for any family with a special needs child - or any mother! Maura Weis is an incredible woman and shares her story beautifully.

Before the age of two, little Hannah Weis was just like any other toddler. Bright, happy, resilient, and full of laughter. "Miles from the Sideline: A Mother's Journey with her Special Needs Daughter" is the story of what happened in the following decade where her development suddenly slowed, and how her mother, author Maura Weis, has had to deal with all the turmoil and triumph that comes from raising a daughter who just isn't like everyone else in the world, a daughter with special needs. "Miles from the Sideline: A Mother's Journey with her Special Needs Daughter" is a deftly written memoir that is highly recommended for other parents of special needs children and for community library memoir collections.

It is rare that I start and finish a book in one sitting. I could not put this one down! Maura Weis shared her experiences as the mother of a special needs child with intense honesty and humility. As she exposed her journey from denial to acceptance, I found myself awed by her transformation from the challenges presented in dealing with her daugher's situation to a spiritual awareness and healing. This metamorphosis allowed Maura to tell her readers why she finds it a privilege to be Hannah's mother. Her accounts transform the reader as well. In the beginning, I could completely understand and relate to the questions she had as a mother. Who to trust? What to do? When to do it? Where to go? Why me or why my child? And as Maura unfolded her story, I also completely understood how she was driven to find the answers to those questions. By the book's end, I was no longer reading Maura's mind, knowing how a mother agonizes for her child and will do anything to make things better. I was peering into her soul, understanding how a mother's love is, indeed, orchestrated by God. It is a symphony of faith, hope, and love. And, as demonstrated by Maura Weis, a mother's love is untiring and indestructible. If you are the parent of a special needs child, this book will no doubt validate all of your utmost concerns and give you incredible hope. And if you are not the parent of a special needs child, this book will give you a new awareness and keen compassion for both the child and the parent. The glimpses of Maura's "black-haired, blue-eyed beauty" will make you long to know Hannah, for you will believe that to know her is to love her. Consider this book a retreat, and a spiritual awakening. It is truly a fabulous read!

In the last 5 years I've read as many books as possible on autism and cerebral palsey... as one of my boys is autistic, and the other has CP. Some books lay claims to "curing" these disorders, others walk you through how to deal with schools and therapists... Maura Weis' book walks you through her families journey so incredibly honest and real, that I felt by the end of the book that I, too, had the ability to deal with my son's disabilities - that I am not alone - and that I can find peace in God's plan for these boys. Many of my friends who do not have special needs children, found it inspirational in their own journeys with different crosses they bear in their lives. Thank you, Maura, for sharing your story to help others.