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Some of my favorite books about Down syndrome In honor of Down syndrome awareness month, I thought I’d share some of my favorite books. Click on any of the pictures to go to Amazon to purchase your own copy of these worthwhile reads. “A Good and Perfect Gift” by Amy Julia Becker. This memoir just came out last year. Amy Julia is a gifted writer. This book is smart and from the heart. A
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Pulling to stand (Here’s an old post about Polly and I both pulling to stand in the midst of Down syndrome) The year after Polly was born I cried every day. My daughter’s diagnosis was hard to take. It grieved me. People urged me to give it time. ”Let the baby change you,” they’d say. “Soon enough, you’ll only see Polina, not the Down syndrome.” One dad, whose adult daughter has Down syndrome, wrote, “I know the
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This is a story about Menard’s, an open can of paint, and a cute girl with Down syndrome. A few months back, I made a quick trip to the store for some more paint to finish a room in our basement. I took the empty paint can, because, well, I’m NOT handy and I knew I’d forget what to buy at the store, and it actually seemed like more work to find a pen and
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My daughter’s 3rd anniversary of a stroke & diagnosis of Moyamoya Not that you want an anniversary like that in your family. I’m weepy this morning. Three years ago this week, our third daughter Polly, who was born with Down syndrome, had a catastrophic stroke that resulted in temporary paralysis on the left side of her body and the diagnosis of Moyamoya disease, a very rare condition that thins the arteries in your brain to
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9 Responses
I love some of those titles you mentioned, others I’m adding to my list of books to check out from the library. I’d include Kelle Hampton’s “Bloom” on your list as well – as I wrote when I reviewed it, “it’s a full-color memoir from the birth of her daughter with Down syndrome to her first birthday. ‘Bloom’ talks a lot about healing and growth as Kelle comes to terms with the diagnosis and learns that different can be better. Bloom also goes in to her first few ventures into the Down syndrome community. I cried about a half a dozen times while reading this book and highly recommend it.”
I had to opportunity to meet Kelle and her family while I was living in Naples and even got her to sign my copy!
Thanks Jacqueline!
“Road Map to Holland” was the first book I read after my son’s birth diagnosis. Honestly, I was a bit nervous to read a memoir, or anything for that matter, regarding Down syndrome. I had a very antiquated idea of DS. So just 2.5 weeks after my son was born I bought it. And I couldn’t put it down. I felt like I was having a conversation with someone who understood me and what I was feeling. I’m very grateful for this wonderful memoir.
(“Expecting Adam” and “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter” are also in my reading list.)
That is so great, Crayon. That was what it was like for me with Expecting Adam.
“Welcome to the Great Mysterious” by Lorna Landvik is a wonderful, warm-hearted read. The main character begins by making a “noble sacrifice” to stay with her teenage nephew with Down Syndrome, and ends up discovering he is a person she really likes being with.
Oooh, sounds good. I’ll check it out. Thanks!
“Gifts”!!! Reading Gifts was a defining moment for me. Hearing the voices of all the moms talking about their children made me realize this was going to be good! Still my favorite book about Ds out there, written from moms, for moms. Love it! I like the second one too (and I have a story in it) but the first one takes the top 1 for me.
Great point! How could I forget about Gifts? Good stuff. Thanks Ellen.
Expecting Adam for sure. Reading Martha Beck’s book gave me permission to talk about my inner world while holding together the outer world when our little guy was born.