Reading is a passion for me. I love fiction as well as nonfiction. Books entertain, educate and enrich our lives. For those of us who parent a child with a disability, reading books in this topic area can give us so much! We can gain a sense of community, we can explore new ideas that help us as well as our children and our family, and we can learn new skills. On this page I have a curated list of books I recommend. I have read them all and my reviews are my own opinion. For each book, I have added an affiliate’s link to Amazon and Bookshop.org, (if available). Disclosure: if you purchase the book through this link, I earn a small commission that helps defray some of the costs associated with maintaining the website. You do not pay anything extra. I appreciate your support!!
Almost Twins, by Anna Moates and Anna Penland, is a lovely book about a friendship that blooms between two young women when they meet at Auburn University and realize they have a lot in common. Anna M. has Down Syndrome, yet she and Anna P. realize that what they have in common is far greater than what makes them different. This book celebrates the uniqueness each one of us brings to the world. It’s an inspiring book for young children as well as people of any age. I interviewed Anna M. on the 11th episode of Season One of my podcast, so please click on the Podcast page to listen to Anna tell her story. To purchase your copy of this lovely book, click on the Amazon link to the right. Your purchase will help me continue to bring you great content.
Traveling Different: Vacation Strategies for Parents of the Anxious, the Inflexible, and the Neurodiverse, by Dawn M. Barclay is the “travel bible for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and/or mood and distraction disorders, offering helpful tips to soothe any child’s travel anxieties.” In this helpful book full of tips and resources, Dawn helps parents envision and experience enriching travel opportunities for the whole family.
Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make us Whole, by Susan Cain. In this book, Cain talks about a bittersweet state of mind, where you embrace the light and the dark, the joy and the sorrow. This state of mind can help us transcend pain and move into creativity and abundance. A beautifully written book for all those who feel deeply and want to explore the impact of these pain points on our lives.