The Sibling Slam Book: What It's Really Like To Have A Brother Or Sister With Special Needs
Starred Review. Grade 6 Up–This multifaceted vehicle for eliciting some unique and many universal emotions is designed specifically for siblings of special-needs children. An adolescent mainstay, the slam book is the chosen venue for encouraging the venting of opinions, hopes, fears, frustrations, and triumphs. Comments by 81 young people display the recurring theme of optimism, complicated by hard work, dedication, resentment, and fierce protection, all as by-products of love. Some questions serve as icebreakers, such as "What should we know about you?" and "What should we know about your sib?" while thought-provoking chapters include "What life lesson have you learned from being a sib?" and "What are some advantages–good parts–of having a sibling with a disability?" Typical slam-book questions such as "Has your sib ever embarrassed you?" are interspersed with chapters like "Ever feel invisible?" Answers from the large sample group supply ample material so that each reader is sure to relate to some of the thoughtful or heartfelt responses. Highly recommended for all middle, high school, and public libraries.–Sharon A. Neal, Alvernia College, Reading, PACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.