The following inspirational and humorous books have been reviewed for the Harried Parent's Book Club. They are sorted by Guide Rating, with five stars being best.
11. The Elephant in the Playroom
Cover image courtesy of Denise Brodey
Denise Brodey, who compiled and annotated these essays by fellow parents of children with special needs, is a woman's magazine editor by trade, and a lot of these essays feel like the sort of thing you'd read in a magazine and feel good about. Reading a whole bunch in a row diminishes the impact, though; pick and choose at will. 3.5 Stars
12. Gifts 2
Cover image courtesy of Woodbine House
The first edition of Gifts, published in 2007, had the subtitle, "Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives." This second edition broadens that to fathers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, aunts and uncles, family and friends and teachers and anybody who's life has been touched by a person with Down syndrome. If you're looking for positive, hopeful stories about Down Syndrome, you'll find them here in abundance. 3.5 Stars
13. I Am Potential
Cover image courtesy of Da Capo Press
If you saw the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition episode that gave an accessible family home, bachelor apartment, and recording studio to a blind musician -- one who participated in college marching band with his wheelchair-pushing father -- you've already met Patrick Henry Hughes and his dad, Patrick John. In this genial book, they trade off on telling Patrick Henry's story, and it's as uplifting a tale on the page as it was on TV. 3.5 Stars
14. Out Came the Sun
Cover image courtesy of Academy Chicago Publishers
The book's subtitle, "One Family's Triumph Over a Rare Genetic Syndrome," is kind of a cheat. It makes the book sound like a feel-good inspirational ride of crusading parents and cured kids. While Emily, the little girl with Partial Trisomy 13, does fly far from the original dire prognosis, she's still young at the end of the story and still struggling in many areas. Her family doesn't so much beat the syndrome as beat against it and beat themselves up about it. If you're more in the market for commiseration than inspiration, you may appreciate the honesty.
15. For the Love of Rachel
Cover image courtesy of Enalan Communications, Inc.
There are special-needs memoirs that specialize in endless detail, or black humor, or grief-tinged reflection, or fervent fact-finding. This isn't one of those. It's just a simple telling of one family's experience with premature birth, early health struggles, and long-term perseverance. If you're inspired by stories of how other families have handled their challenges, this book offers one in a quick-reading, heartfelt, and straightforward format. 3 Stars
16. Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid!
Cover image courtesy of www.shutupabout.com
The work of two sisters who are the mothers of daughters with special needs -- one with Asperger syndrome, the other with Bipolar Disorder -- Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid! seeks to speak up for all of us who can't put "My Kid Is an Honor Student" bumper stickers on our cars, but know that's meaningless anyway. Through rambling anecdotes and silly sayings, they celebrate the joys and triumphs and really goofy moments of special-needs parenting. 3 Stars
17. Reflections from a Different Journey
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
Do adults with disabilities have important things to tell parents about how to raise children with disabilities? It's tempting to think so, given how little information about raising them our children tend to give out. But while there is much here that's inspirational, in the end, it's all just hindsight. And some of it isn't even 20/20. 2.5 Stars
