Specific Disabilities Books

This book is useful. It was a required text for a graduate level class I took for my Master's degree.

How The Brain Learns, is an exceptional resource for understanding the most effective ways to grasp information. This should be required reading for anyone in the educational field. It's helped to remove the barrier that stands in the way of average teachers becoming great and trouble students being seen as gifted. As the founder of www.Fighting4Youth.com, I've addressed these types of issues several times among students and teachers. However, it wasn't until I received this eye opening information from Dr. Sousa, that allowed me to truly be effectively in my quest to meeting these needs.

This book should be required reading for any teacher of reading. It is very readable and hard to put down.

I am a staff developer for teachers and parents regarding children from pre-birth to 99. The information that Sousa delivers in this text is invaluable. It helps us to understand in layman's terms, exactly what is involved in the brain and learning to read. Sousa is a topnotch author writing in a way that is so user friendly for parents, teachers, caretakers, administration....

I use his books like bibles when I instruct. Thank you Dr. Sousa for your wonderful gifts ....

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!

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 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

A must read..... I couldn't put it down.... I laughed, I cried then laughed some more! Ms. Simpkins at her best!

Someone has said, "It's easy to write. You just sit down at the keyboard and open a vein." Mrs. Simpkins opens a vein and her heart in "The Long Good Night." At the core of this heart the reader will re-discover a need and a secret. The need is love and the secret in love's definition. Absent of pride and praise, Simpkins simply tells the truth regarding her father's Alzheimer's and the telling demonstrates 1 Cor. 13 in action. The episode,indeed,is a long journey, a journey of pain and frustration. It is also a memoir of love, loyalty and laughter. So, take this journey with Ms Simpkins. Cross some narrow bridges. Pass through a tunnel or two. Encounter more than one detour. When "The Long Good Night" is over, bask in the Son shining through. There could be no better refreshment or reward.

Ms. Simpkins has a real talant for storytelling and keeps the reader engaged throughout this journey. If you have a friend going through the struggles of dealing with Alzheimers, this book will give you a window into their new world, the good the bad and the ugly. If you have not experienced, it but know friends that have, you know how helpless you feel watching them in this new world, and you will be able to let them know that you are thinking about them and praying for them and above all -- you "get it."

This book is a heartwarming story which spotlights the struggles of a family hit with the difficulty of alzheimers. Ms. Simpkins is able to engage the reader in laughter at the awkward moments the disease inevitably brings to life expereinces but she also enables us to feel the pain of her father's slipping away into another, unfaamiliar world. This is a must read for anyone whose home has been touched by this disease.

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.

I grew up next door to Jim and moved away many years ago but reading the book from thousands of miles away brought back a flood of memories of Jim and his family who were all so kind and patient. This book should give hope and encouragement to families with children of any physical or mental challenge. There are lessons to be learned about the amazing things that can be accomplished by extremely loving and talented people with disabilities. If you haven't read this book and are thinking about it, you won't be disappointed. Mary really brings Jim's life into a light that mostly only "locals" were able to appreciate. It is a testament to his parent's love as well. The definition of family can be found here.

This is a truly inspring tale of a family that not only homesteaded in Alaska, but raised a child with Down's Syndrome with little help from anyone else. The Haakensons had 6 other children, but managed to raise them all, including Jim with Down's Syndrome, to be contributing citizens with strong Christian values. The book was written by their daughter, Mary, after Jim died in 2001. This is a book anyone should read, and especially anyone with a Down's child in their family.

Beside being a wonderful account of the life of Jim Haakenson and his family, this book sets the reader into the lives of homesteaders in Alaska and their unique lifestyle. It leaves one in awe of what these folks accomplished in their daily life as well as the raising of Jim into a very capable employee, and responsible adult who was well known and loved in the community.
Jim is a rich character and fun to read about. This is a well written, very interesting book, and definitely encouraging to any family raising a child with these kind of challenges.

This book was recommended by our daughter, mother of a Downs son, who knows the author. I expected to read a knowledgable, thoughtfully written book -- what I hadn't expected was top-grade writing, humor and a wonderful witness to family acceptance and faith. A truly inspiring story.

The revised edition of Partners in Independence by Ed & Toni Eames is a welcome addition to literature of how dogs touch and enrich our lives. The Eames' have given us an informative and entertaining look at the lives of those who have chosen to be partnered with an assistance dog. This book has appeal not only to those interested in the disabilities rights movement or the assistance dog movement, but to all dog lovers.

The second edition of "Partners in Independence: A Success Story of Dogs and the Disabled," by Ed and Toni Eames, will be of interest to those who want to understand more about dogs partnered with people who have disabilities. This edition is published by Barkleigh Productions, Inc. The Eameses are activists for the rights of people with disabilities, including the right to be accompanied by a trained and well-behaved assistance dog in public places.

The book covers a wide range of information about assistance dogs to people with disabilities. You'll find legal information, insights into life with various disabilities and how dogs can help, and a great deal of the history of dogs assisting people with disabilities. You'll also read warm stories, travel tales, some of the politics of the disability rights movement, and etiquette of how to help (and how not to try to help) a person with a disability you encounter in public.

The Eamses estimate there are about 20,000 assistance dogs--that's the total of guide dogs, hearing dogs and service dogs for disabilities such as mobility--working in the United States. Compared to even therapy dogs, this is a relatively small number, and many people have encountered few if any assistance dogs in their lives. It's no wonder that the legal rights of disabled people to have their assistance dogs with them in public are not well understood by most people--not even otherwise dog-savvy people. This book will clear up a lot of confusion, and it's fun to read in the process.

As someone who suffers from a disability (epilepsy), it was a pleasure to learn that not only wasn't I alone, but that my seizure alert dog is part of a greater whole. The assistance dog movement is growing and through this book more people will learn of its benefits.

I am a legally blind former Dairy Herdsnam. I was enthralled by the stories in this book, and grateful for the info given about the different guide dog schools. It helped make my choice of which school to apply for a dog easier. I think this book should be required reading for anyone entereing the special needs/education professions!

Again, Jane Berstein has done an incredible job describing the challenges of raising a child with a disability and the struggles of transitioning that child to the adult world. The roadblocks she faced and overcame demonstrate her true love for her daughter and her determination to give Rachel that best possible life despite her disabilities. Thank you Jane for chronicling these challenges so that others may learn from your experience. I have recommended this book to colleagues and other families.

I so admire this book and author. There hasn't been enough written about the transition to adulthood for people with cognitive disabilities. Here we get an honest, incredibly well-told story of a complex, ever-shifting mother-daughter relationship. The book has room for ambivalence, contradiction, determination, despair--all of the things that make life, well, life. If, as the parent of a child with a disability, you find yourself stretching to the point of elasticity, giving even beyond the fact of total depletion, and then, the very next moment, wanting more for yourself, not to mention more FROM your child, this book is for you. It's lyrical candor will disarm you exactly as it provides the only solace that is credible.

I've long been a fan of Bernstein's work, from her novels to her scorchingly brave memoir about her sister's murder, Bereft. Rachel in the World shows the same kind of bravery. This is no treacly feel-good tome about what it is like to raise a special needs daughter and send her out in the world. Instead, Bernstein shows both her love and her irritation, and her anger at a system that doesn't exactly make it easy to do what is best for Rachel. Beautifully written and filled with photos that are like prose poems.

Once again Jane Bernstein has achieved a remarkable portrayal, adeptly balancing her intensely personal feelings with an objective view of Rachel, her mentally retarded daughter (a description Bernstein sometimes finds more appropriate than the more politically correct euphemism of "intellectually impaired"). The Rachel we met as a little girl in Loving Rachel, Bernstein's moving account of discovering her daughter's mental and physical liabilities, has grown into a young adult, craving freedom and independence in the "real world" beyond the safe haven her mother has spent years developing. Bernstein's experience of wading through the labyrinth of "the system" in order to achieve her goal of finding the right living situation for Rachel proves to be confounding and frustrating, and as social services cuts become more frequent, even scary. Add to that Rachel's own conflicted emotions, along with her constant chattering and insatiable demands, and it seems inevitable that Bernstein will succumb to the overwhelming pressures of her role as Rachel's protector and provider, while at the same time trying to maintain her own sanity. But in her own inimical fashion, and written with the honesty that she is famous for, Bernstein proves that she is up to the task, even if at times she doubts her own strength and fortitude. On the surface a story about a young woman facing a life she may not be ready for, Rachel in the World is really about the love of a mother for her daughter. And I can't wait for Rachel to grow older so Bernstein can write the next chapter in their lives.

I am a teacher and have had close contact with families who have had dyslexic children. This author does a great job of communicating the emotion, questions, struggles, and fears that a mother has. Her son also writes vignettes at the end of each chapter expressing his own point of view and struggles and fears. She weaves into the story enough clinical information to define dyslexia, explain its symtoms, and discuss ways to deal with it. But the main impact is the author opening her heart to the reader.

Reading David has been a very emotional experience for me. My son, the same age as David, was diagnosed with a Learning Disability. I have only been reading a few pages a day as I cry with every emotion expressed that hits home - and they all do. What Lissa Weinstein has been able to write about has been cathartic for me. Her advice and the feelings expressed by her and her son will help guide my family through this Labyrinth. Thank-You for writing this book!

This is a terrific book, a virtual roadmap for anyone interested in dyslexia, or learning disabilities in general. Weinstein is a clinical psychologist and university professor, with a depth of experience in dealing with childhood learning disorders that is challenged when she has to deal with her son David's dyslexia. As a mother, she understands and conveys the dynamics of dyslexia in a way that illuminates both the helplessness any parent may feel when faced with a child's reading difficulties, and as a psychologist, she offers real self-help, insight, advice and solutions (all with a minimum of jargon) for dealing with a multi-faceted problem that does not go away just by adding some tutoring or changing the curriculum. The passages describing her dawning awareness that her own son has a serious learning disability, and her own feelings of guilt, are especially poignant. The real reward in this book, however, is the voice of her son David - whose words, taken down verbatim by his professor mother, reveal with astonishing directness the hurt, bewilderment, and courage of a child who just doesn't begin reading along with his classmates and the strategies he employs both to try to learn and to hide his failures. The book is a must for anyone dealing with learning disabilities, in the classroom or the home.

The book, Reading David, by Lissa Weinstein helped me deal with my own son's struggle with dyslexia. Lissa and David touch the emotions of both mother and child through the unique, overweleming journey of dyslexia. The reader experiences the triumphs and struggles of everyday living. This book taught me that my son is a very bright, unique individual who desires to fit in. I felt someone was feeling what I was feeling and that it was okay to be angry one day and joyful the next because living with dyslexia is such an up and down rollercoaster.