 |
| A Certain Kind of Love |
| Wright, Deborah & Jean Joy Crowley. (1999). Versa Press. |
| Stories of families with special needs children. |
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| After The Tears |
| Simons, Robin. (1987). Harvest Books. |
| Parents talk about raising a child with a disability. |
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| Angel Behind the Rocking Chair: Stories of Hope in Unexpected Places |
| Vredevelt, Pam. (1998). Multnomah Publishing. |
| From a woman who has known deep disappointment in the birth of a handicapped child, glimpses of hope and God’s love coming through. Written with many religious references, Pam tells the story of her son’s birth and her acceptance and love for her child. |
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| Another Season: A Coach’s Story of Raising an Exceptional Child. |
| Stallings, Gene. (1998). Broadway Books. |
| The true story of a father, an Alabama football coach, who is the parent of a boy with Down syndrome. Gene Stallings talks about his feelings, frustrations and concerns when his son was born in 1962. Some of the language and thoughts are outdated, considering what is done for children with Down syndrome today, but his feelings are still relevant. |
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| A Smile as Big As The Moon |
| Kersjes, Mike & Joe Layden. (2002). St Martins Griffin. |
| True story of a special education teacher who took his students to space camp. |
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| A Special Kind of Hero: Chris Burke’s Own Story |
| Burke, Chris & Jo Beth Mc Daniel. (1991). Authors Guild Backinprint.com. |
| The story of Chris Burke’s life as told by Chris and his parents. It details the attitudes and opinions of people with Down syndrome at that time, along with Chris’ desire to be an actor. |
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| Bethy and the Mouse: A Father Remembers his Children with Disabilities |
| Blakely, Donald. (1997). Brookline Books. |
| Story of a young girl with Down syndrome from birth to age 5. |
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| Changed By A Child: Companion Notes for Parents of a Child With a Disability |
| Gill, Barbara. (1998). |
| Barbara Gill provides brief meditations and passages about the challenges, grief, faith, hope and other feelings and experiences of parents who have a disabled child. Gill’s son has Down syndrome and she writes with the authority and credibility of a parent who has been through it herself. For those parents who do feel alone, this book may serve as a kind of compassionate companion. |
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| Choosing Naia: A Family’s Journey |
| Zuckoff, Mitchell. (2002). Beacon Press. |
| An account of an interracial couple who learn during their pregnancy that their child will be born with Down syndrome and with a heart defect. The book chronicles their decision to continue with the pregnancy, the challenges they face from family and friends, their daughter’s heart surgery and ends with her first birthday. |
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| Circles Of Friends. |
| Perske, Robert. (1988). Abingdon Press. |
| A collection of true stories and issues around friendships between people with disabilities and typically developing peers. Good read for how important friendships are for all people—with and without disabilities. |
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| Common Threads |
| Kidder, Cynthia S. & Brian Skotko. (2001). Band of Angels Press. |
| Collections of essays written about children with Down syndrome and their experiences, along with their parents’. Photographs of all the interviewees are also included in the book. |
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| Count Us In: Growing Up with Down Syndrome |
| Kingsley, Jason and Levitz Mitchell. (1994). Harcourt Brace and Company. |
| Written by two young men who have Down syndrome, it details their views on life as they see it. |
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| Differences In Common |
| Trainer, Marilyn. (1991). Woodbine House. |
| Series of essays were originally published throughout her son’s life. Her son is now in his twenties. |
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| Down Syndrome: One Family’s Journey. Beth’s Successes |
| Blakely, Donald C. (2002). Brookline Books. |
| Takes up where Bethy and the Mouse left off. Details Beth’s life, both in and out of school, after age 5 up to her early 20’s. |
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| Don’t Sing Any Sad Songs |
| Icenhower, Rasalie. (2000). America House Book Publishers. |
| Personal account of a mother whose daughter was born in 1964. The book is a good example of how much attitudes and ideas have changed when dealing with a child with Down syndrome. |
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| Expecting Adam: A True Story of Birth, Rebirth and Everyday Magic |
| Beck, Martha. (1999). Times Books. |
| An autobiographical tale of a family, Harvard educated, who discover they are having a baby with Down syndrome. Martha kept a journal throughout her pregnancy and this book details the journey of that pregnancy and beyond. |
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| For the Love of Matthew |
| Houska, Janice Credit. (2002). Trafford. |
| A short novel about life in North Dakota written by a parent of a child with Down syndrome. The story ends at 8th grade, with a short epilogue. Written from a parent’s point of view. |
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| From the Heart: On Being the Mother of a Child with Special Needs |
| Edited by Jayne D.B. Marsh. (1995). Woodbine House. |
| Collection of essays about what it is like to parent a child with a disability and how important it is to realize that you are a parent and a person and not perfect. Easy read. |
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| Jackie |
| Junot, Dan. (2001). Center for Special Success. |
| A father’s story about raising a daughter born in 1972 with Down syndrome. Attitudes and opinions have changed since then, but this story has a different slant as there is a moral at the end of each chapter. |
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| Karina Has Down Syndrome |
| Rogers, Cheryl & Gun Dolva. (1998). Jessica Kingsley Publishers |
| Story of an English family who has a daughter with Down syndrome. |
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| Life As We Know it: A Father, A Family and an Exceptional Child |
| Berube, M. (1996). Pantheon Books. |
| This book is a father’s compelling story of his attempt to make the world a better place for his son who has Down syndrome. The author tells of his son’s development during his first four years of life and addresses a number of issues including IQ testing, the politics of education, disability,law, social services, health care and entitlements. Berube frames these issues within the larger concepts of social justice, what it means to be human, and ultimately, what kind of society we value and by what means we determine it. |
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| Mummy, Why Have I got Down Syndrome? |
| Philips, Caroline. (1991). Lion Paperback. |
| Story of an English family with a daughter with Down syndrome. |
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| Nobody’s Perfect: Living and Growing with Children Who Have Special Needs |
| Miller, Nancy B. (1994). Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company. |
| Excellent resource book going through the steps and concerns that parents have when their child has a disability. Each chapter has a set of turning points to help the reader put things into perspective and also gives the reader some things to think about. |
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| Reflections from a Different Journey |
| Klein, Stanley D. & John D. Kemp. (2004). McGraw Hill. |
| Stories from adults with disabilities. |
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| Retarded Isn’t Stupid, Mom! |
| Kaufman, Sandra Z. (1999). Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company. |
| A mother’s story about raising a daughter with mental retardation. The story goes through all of the stages that a parent deals with when faced with a diagnosis of a child’s disability. Nicole was born in 1955 and there is a postscript to this story since attitudes, opinions and educational opportunities have changed. |
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| Sometimes Miracles Hide |
| Carroll, Bruce. (1999). Howard Publishing Company |
| Reflections and letters from parents who are raising a child with a disability. Included with the book is a CD as there is a song “Sometimes Miracles Hide” that the book is centered around. The book has biblical verses and reading included within it. |
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| Special Children, Challenged Parents: The Struggles and Rewards of Raising a Child with a Disability |
| Naseef, Robert A. (2001). Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company. |
| Told from a father’s perspective, the book asks and answers those questions that parents who have a child with a disability struggle with on a daily basis. It is a great journal and a good resource guide as well as providing examples for coping, communicating and acknowledging and managing all of those emotions that occur. |
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| Tears & Triumphs |
| Dmitriev, Valentine. (1997). Peanut Butter Publishing. |
| The story of an educator who was involved since the late 1950’s in developing strategies for working with children with disabilities. Interesting book in that it details her struggles with her peers to accept the idea that a child with a disability is capable of learning. |
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| Uncommon Fathers: Reflections on Raising a Child with a Disability |
| Meyer, Donald J. (1995). Woodbine House. |
| Reflections from fathers who are parents of special needs children. Similar to the experiences and thoughts found in Changed By a Child, but written by fathers. |
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| Views From Our Shoes: Growing Up with a Brother or Sister with Special Needs |
| Meyer, Donald, J. (editor) (1997). Woodbine House. |
| Forty-five siblings, ages four to eighteen, share their experiences as the brother or sister of a young person with a disability. They write about the good and the bad aspects and make many thoughtful observances. Ages 9-12. |
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| You will Dream New Dreams |
| Klein, Stanley D. and Kim Schive. (2001). Kensington Books. |
| A collection of essays written by parents who have a child with a disability. Three of the essays were written by Omaha parents. |