Use this alphabetical index to find books that have been reviewed for the Harried Parent's Book Club.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J-L | M-N | O | P-Q | R | S | T | U-V | W-Z
Saving Ben
Cover image courtesy of University of North Texas Press
By Dan E. Burns; 154 pages. Subtitle: A Father's Story of Autism
Bottom Line: The title of Saving Ben suggests that this will be a triumphant recovery story, and it tries hard to be, but life keeps getting in the way of miraculous intervention. The many cures proposed for autism are hard, life-consuming work, and have little regard for the fact that parents have jobs and relationships and their own demons to fight. Though Ben does improve with time and, perhaps, some help from all his therapies, in the end it's more a story of a father's tranformation than a child's.
Bottom Line: The title of Saving Ben suggests that this will be a triumphant recovery story, and it tries hard to be, but life keeps getting in the way of miraculous intervention. The many cures proposed for autism are hard, life-consuming work, and have little regard for the fact that parents have jobs and relationships and their own demons to fight. Though Ben does improve with time and, perhaps, some help from all his therapies, in the end it's more a story of a father's tranformation than a child's.
Schuyler's Monster
Book cover courtesy of St. Martin's Press
By Robert Rummel-Hudson; 273 pages. Subtitle: A Father's Journey With His Wordless Daughter.
Bottom Line: Little Schuyler may be wordless, but that should never be confused with an inability to communicate. Just by the evidence of the delightful picture on the cover, this girl's spirit speaks pretty loudly, and whether she's laughing at her dad or growling at a playground bully, she makes herself heard. Her parents' effort to get the right diagnosis and the right communication technology form the basis of this sometimes moving, sometimes snarky memoir.
Bottom Line: Little Schuyler may be wordless, but that should never be confused with an inability to communicate. Just by the evidence of the delightful picture on the cover, this girl's spirit speaks pretty loudly, and whether she's laughing at her dad or growling at a playground bully, she makes herself heard. Her parents' effort to get the right diagnosis and the right communication technology form the basis of this sometimes moving, sometimes snarky memoir.
Seizures and Epilepsy in Childhood: A Guide for Parents
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
By John M. Freeman, M.D., Eileen P.G. Vining, M.D., and Diana J. Pillas; 320 pages (2nd edition), 395 pages (3rd edition). From the Book Cover: "The essential 'Dr. Spock' for parents of a child with epilepsy." -- Timothy A. Pedley, M.D., Columbia University.
Bottom Line: Seeing a child have a seizure can be one of the scariest experiences a parent can have. The authors of this informative, panic-free book want you to calm down, take a deep breath, and realize the world has not come to an end. It's an empowering message.
Bottom Line: Seeing a child have a seizure can be one of the scariest experiences a parent can have. The authors of this informative, panic-free book want you to calm down, take a deep breath, and realize the world has not come to an end. It's an empowering message.
Send in the Idiots: Stories from the Other Side of Autism
Cover image courtesy of Bloomsbury USA
By Kamran Nazeer; 230 pages. From the Book Jacket: "Using his own experiences to examine such topics as the difficulties of language, conversation as performance, and the politics of civility, Nazeer also gives us a rare and provocative exploration of the way that people -- all people -- learn to think and feel."
Bottom Line: None of these stories are specifically success stories, and some of them aren't exactly hopeful, but all show the sometimes elaborate ways that adults with autism find to cope with the world.
Bottom Line: None of these stories are specifically success stories, and some of them aren't exactly hopeful, but all show the sometimes elaborate ways that adults with autism find to cope with the world.
Sensational Kids
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
By Lucy Jane Miller, Ph.D., OTR, with Doris A. Fuller, foreword by Carol Stock Kranowitz; 351 pages. Subtitle: Hope and Help for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).
Bottom Line: What's Sensory Processing Disorder? It's what we're calling Sensory Integration Disorder now. Or Sensory Integration Dysfunction. Or Dysfunction of Sensory Integration. Whatever. Now? It's SPD. And here's the book to explain it all for you. Annoyance at label-changing aside, it's a pretty great read.
Bottom Line: What's Sensory Processing Disorder? It's what we're calling Sensory Integration Disorder now. Or Sensory Integration Dysfunction. Or Dysfunction of Sensory Integration. Whatever. Now? It's SPD. And here's the book to explain it all for you. Annoyance at label-changing aside, it's a pretty great read.
Sensory Integration: Answers for Parents and Answers for Teachers
Cover image courtesy of Crestport Press
By Gina Geppert Coleman, Zoe Mailloux and Susanne Smith Roley; two booklets, 16 pages each.
Bottom Line: How do you convince a family member or an educator that your child's Sensory Integration Dysfunction needs to be respected and worked around when you yourself can't quite spell out the hows and the whys? Here's one good way: Read these helpful, attractive booklets, then pass 'em out. They explain the basics -- the very basics -- of SI in a professional, easy to understand manner that is convincing and reasonable. There are checklists for identifying problems, explanations of assessment and therapy, and tips of useful things parents and teachers can do on their own.
Bottom Line: How do you convince a family member or an educator that your child's Sensory Integration Dysfunction needs to be respected and worked around when you yourself can't quite spell out the hows and the whys? Here's one good way: Read these helpful, attractive booklets, then pass 'em out. They explain the basics -- the very basics -- of SI in a professional, easy to understand manner that is convincing and reasonable. There are checklists for identifying problems, explanations of assessment and therapy, and tips of useful things parents and teachers can do on their own.
Sensory Integration and the Child
Cover image courtesy of Western Psychological Services
By A. Jean Ayres, Ph.D., revised and updated by Pediatric Therapy Network; 211 pages. Subtitle: Understanding Hidden Sensory Challenges.
Subtitle: If you've read other books on sensory integration and were left wondering about the real nitty-gritty neurology of it all, you're probably ready to read Sensory Integration and the Child. The zippy new redesign surely makes it easier to do that -- but that's not to be confused with the material actually being easy.
Subtitle: If you've read other books on sensory integration and were left wondering about the real nitty-gritty neurology of it all, you're probably ready to read Sensory Integration and the Child. The zippy new redesign surely makes it easier to do that -- but that's not to be confused with the material actually being easy.
The Sensory Processing Disorder Answer Book
Cover image courtesy of Sourcebooks
By Tara Delaney, MS, OTR/L; 230 pages. Subtitle: Practical Answers to the Top 250 Questions Parents Ask
Bottom Line: I don't know that these are really the top 250 questions parents ask, or whether this all-question format really does service to the material. But Delaney's answers are pretty terrific, clear and understandable and genuinely useful. Because the format scatters the information about, I wouldn't recommend this as your first book on SPD, but if you already know some and want to learn more, it will probably answer questions you have, whether they're among the ones officially asked or not.
Bottom Line: I don't know that these are really the top 250 questions parents ask, or whether this all-question format really does service to the material. But Delaney's answers are pretty terrific, clear and understandable and genuinely useful. Because the format scatters the information about, I wouldn't recommend this as your first book on SPD, but if you already know some and want to learn more, it will probably answer questions you have, whether they're among the ones officially asked or not.
The Sensory Team Handbook for Pre-Teens
Cover image courtesy of Nancy Mucklow
By Nancy Mucklow; 165 pages. From the Introduction: "It's a book for pre-teens who have had hard times at school. You look like everyone else. And you have talents, just like everyone else. But you know that there is something in the way that makes life harder for you than for other pre-teens you know."
Bottom Line: Mucklow, the parent of a pre-teen with sensory issues, couldn't find any sensory-integration resources appropriate for that age group, so she went ahead and wrote one herself. It's an upbeat, friendly guide to helping the senses work together as a team, and strengthening weaker players.
Bottom Line: Mucklow, the parent of a pre-teen with sensory issues, couldn't find any sensory-integration resources appropriate for that age group, so she went ahead and wrote one herself. It's an upbeat, friendly guide to helping the senses work together as a team, and strengthening weaker players.
Sexuality: Your Sons and Daughters With Intellectual Disabilities
Cover image courtesy of Brookes Publishing
By Karin Melberg Schwier and Dave Hingsburger; 223 pages. From the Book Cover: "How to accomplish one of the most significant tasks every parent faces -- raising a proud and confident son or daughter."
Bottom Line: You may think it's not necessary to talk to your special-needs child about sex, but think again -- about that conversation, and about your conviction that your child can never have a full, satifsying adult life. This book has a lot to say on both subjects.
Bottom Line: You may think it's not necessary to talk to your special-needs child about sex, but think again -- about that conversation, and about your conviction that your child can never have a full, satifsying adult life. This book has a lot to say on both subjects.
