Refresh: Spiritual Nourishment for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Sometimes we just need to be encouraged and that is exactly what this book did for me.  Parenting isn't easy to start with, but throw in a child with special needs and those challenges can be overwhelming.  We are going through this in our very own home as we speak...nothing easy about this task that we are called to.  But a breath of fresh air came to me in the form of Kimberly Drew and Jocelyn Green's book Refresh.  It is a compilation of stories about parenting children who have all forms of special needs....the challenges, the joys, and so much more.  It is one of those books that you need to devour slowly and process but I was encouraged over and over through the words of many who have gone before me on this journey.  If you need encouragement today - don't miss this book.



*I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher for an honest review on my blog.

The Life We Never Expected

You know when you pick up a book and plan to read it and get one to two things out of it....and then you come away with a MILLION!?!!?  That is totally this book!  Andrew and Rachel Wilson have written The Life We Never Expected, and it is a book I plan to read over and over.  This couple KNOWS the struggle of raising not one, but two children with special needs.  Their story isn't pretty - they don't sugarcoat - but they are real and give the ultimate advice over and over - you just need to take it to God.  I love how the book is arranged - in cycles of a lifetime - and how to navigate them.  As a parent to a child with special needs, I cried with them AND I was encouraged.  They get it and they point me to Christ - who is ultimately the only One who can give the rest and strength.  I would highly recommend this book!


*I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher for an honest review on my blog.

Wonder

I had a highly-respected reading friend suggest the book, Wonder by R. J. Palacio.  So I promptly got a copy and began reading - and thus begins a wonderful story.  I can hardly even relay how strongly I feel about this book - it hit me as a mom, it struck strong cords as a friend, and it moved me deeply on a human level in general.  This is the powerful story of August Pullman, a fifth grade boy born with a severe facial deformity, who is just trying to make his way through middle school - just like all the other kids.  However, his way through school is not at all easy - which can be normal for all kids - but even worse when you look like an "orc".  My heart ached for August as he tried to be like all the other kids - but he was very rarely accepted for who he really was.  What you do come to see through a few close friends, are strong friendships that are based on looking beyond the outward and looking inside to see who our friends REALLY are.  I just LOVE this book - and feel so strongly that I even think it should be required reading in middle school!  I mean that - let's see each other and how we are alike - not how we are different - let's see each other's hearts!

Is My Kid Stupid??

Nzingha West's book, Is My Kid Stupid?? Avoiding an Educational Disaster was a timely read for me. We are trudging through IEP's and wondering what our rights are as parents of a child with different educational needs. I appreciated West's information from the educational and legal end of advocating for our kids. She has a lot of experience - you can tell that from her book - and she fills you with many things to think about and options that you might consider navigating through the special ed/IEP/504 Plans arenas. I appreciate her honesty and frankness - she tells it like it is and lets you know when you may be in over your head!

It is an easy read - short and to the point. I found it valuable and the resources listed in the back are also a great place to start on this special ed highway!

Slippery Willie's Stupid Ugly Shoes

Larry Peterson has written, Slippery Willie's Stupid Ugly Shoes, and it is one I am raving over right now! Willie Wiggles is a little boy that has slippery feet. No one knows why, but he just can't seem to sit still or stay up on his slippery feet. But even more than his slippery feet, he hates the new shoes that are made for him to quit slipping. He is sure everyone and everything is laughing at his shoes and he feels horrible about it - UNTIL, he chats with his mom a bit. :) I love this - it encourages us to think about what we are worrying about - maybe there's nothing to worry about in the first place! BUT, it also does a fantastic job of showing that kids are different - we are not all made the same - and that is what I loved even more. As a mom of a daughter with special needs (that often aren't explainable by doctors) we just know that we truly are all made differently but there is nothing wrong with that! I will shout this one from the rafters - I loved it and it has a special spot in my heart!! Thank you, Larry, for caring for the "special" ones!!

I leave you with the Dedication to the book:

Dedicated to all kids

who think they are “different.”

It does not matter…

How tall or short you are,

How big your nose is,

How fast you can run,

How high you can jump,

If you can see or not,

Hear or not,

Or even be wheelchair bound.

You are all God’s special individual creations

and God “don’t make no junk.”

Larry Peterson Bio:
Larry Peterson was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. As a freelancer, he has written many newspaper columns for local publications. Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes is his first children’s book. Peterson has lived in Pinellas Park, Florida for the past 28 years.

See the Slippery Willie Blog!!



**I was provided a PDF Copy for review purposes.

Second Chance

I have to wholeheartedly agree with PBS when it says that this book is highly recommended!! Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism and His Shelter Dog by Sandra Gerencher is a touching picture book that stays with you long after you are done reading! I love this great way of teaching what adoption is and also what autism may look like. I think kids and adults will resonate with this story - and hey, maybe even dogs!! If you've been touched by adoption or autism - this book will resound with you as well - you will "get it". This one WILL be on our bookshelf! If you'd like your own copy - purchase a hard copy or ebook HERE.

A little info on the author, Sandra Gerencher -

Sandra J. Gerencher is a special education teacher in the Bangor Area public school system. Prior to becoming a teacher, she worked at Lehigh University in a school-based program, as a Program Specialist for adults with disabilities. Over the past 20 years she has worked with children and adults with special needs in such areas as counseling, Behavior Specialist Consultation, behavioral research, crisis intervention and abuse therapy. Sandra graduated from Lehigh University with a M.Ed. in Special Education (2004) and from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia with an M.S. in Counseling Psychology (1999).

**I was provided a copy for review by Tribute Books.