Schuyler’s Monster is an honest, funny, and heart-wrenching story of a family, and particularly a little girl, who won't give up when ...
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Feb 18, 2008
Julie
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Everyone must read this book. Not just because it's about my daughter and husband, but it's an excellent read. Robert is a fantastic writer. His writing is warm and inviting and makes you feel like you are talking to him face to face. Enjoy!
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Mar 29, 2008
Gin
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I've resisted buying this book until now because I've followed the author's blog for nearly 10 years. But I didn't resist because I knew the story. Instead, I was afraid in the editing, the author's voice would be lost. It wasn't. Rob is there with his quirky, twisted mind still intact, and so is his deep love for his daughter. Excellent book. Well written and a good read.
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Jan 21, 2010
Rachel
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I was surprised by a few things in things in this book; first that the author didn't commemorate his daughters first words, and second that an agnostic could find belief in God if only to lay blame.
In a book with the purpose of documenting the author's daughters wordless journey through life, one would expect a thorough documentation of his daughters first words. I was disappointed that he could remember in great detail other experiences but glosses over Schuyler's first words by lu More...
In a book with the purpose of documenting the author's daughters wordless journey through life, one would expect a thorough documentation of his daughters first words. I was disappointed that he could remember in great detail other experiences but glosses over Schuyler's first words by lu More...
Jan 09, 2012
Joy
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I recently got around to reading this book. I don't know why I took so long to pick it up considering I have been following the author's blog for years and have also donated some money to the family when they needed it the most. I loved how the book gave clarity to Schuyler's monster and also brought together the whole story that was told in bits and pieces through blog posts over the years. I borrowed this book from the library and had a hard time putting it down once I started reading it. The
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Jun 14, 2009
Angie
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People pick up this book and expect it to be a warm, fluffy memoir about a father's love for his daughter. And it is, don't get me wrong, but it's also a humane look at how people's lives are sometimes turned upside-down by having a "special-needs" child.
I first heard of this book from my mother, who had bought it and read it and continued to follow Rob's blog. I even teased my mother that I think she loved Schuyler more than she loved me and that made her say, "... we More...
I first heard of this book from my mother, who had bought it and read it and continued to follow Rob's blog. I even teased my mother that I think she loved Schuyler more than she loved me and that made her say, "... we More...
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Apr 11, 2009
Heather
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I just started this book a couple of days ago. My wonderful sister-in-law let me borrow it. I am really enjoying it so far. disorders fasinate me. I know that is weird and possibly sad. but I find it interesting. I can't imagine what is that must be like is have a "special needs" child. I know Rob (the author) does not like that title. I will update you with more when I am finished.
ok so I finished. It was wonderful..the child, the parents, the teachers in the More...
ok so I finished. It was wonderful..the child, the parents, the teachers in the More...
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Jun 13, 2009
Rachel
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I am on page 221 of 273. you might like (or hate) this book if you are a speech pathologist..................which you likely are not, but you might like it anyways. it's about a families quest to find out why their daughter doesn't speak and then about the uphill struggle with the school district to get her an appropriate augmenative/ alternative communication device. it gives a really good look at the perspective of a parent of a child with a disability. It makes me wonder how certain people i
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Jun 16, 2011
Alexis
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Schuyler's Monster is a book that I found on an accessible book site. The synopsisi intrigued me so I downloaded it. Once I began reading, I couldn't stop.
The author writes with such stunning clarity that you feel like you're right there with him and his family. I felt happy when the first augmentative communication device was introduced but felt the author's frustration when the device didn't live up to the family's expectations.
I would recommend this book to parents More...
The author writes with such stunning clarity that you feel like you're right there with him and his family. I felt happy when the first augmentative communication device was introduced but felt the author's frustration when the device didn't live up to the family's expectations.
I would recommend this book to parents More...
Sep 30, 2010
Abby
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Before I review this book, you should know this: "Schuyler" is pronounced "Skylar", and she is a girl. The author (her dad) was relieved she was not a boy because the mom was going to name her something weird if she was a dude. If she was a boy, she was going to be named Jasper. Jasper is the name of my mother in law's late cat (rest his kitty soul), but it is still a better name than Schuyler. Really, it's a pretty weird name.
That said, I love Schuyler. I even li More...
That said, I love Schuyler. I even li More...
Apr 28, 2010
Katy-Del
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It is about a little girl who can't talk, and the journey her family has taken to figure out why, and how to deal with it.
They now live in Plano and she uses a small hand held device to talk, as well as a little ASL and Pantomine.
I recognized a lot of the pain and depression and joy that Robert Rummel-Hudson wrote about. A lot of that just goes with having a special needs kid. I really liked seeing what other parents go through when dealing with the school systems a More...
They now live in Plano and she uses a small hand held device to talk, as well as a little ASL and Pantomine.
I recognized a lot of the pain and depression and joy that Robert Rummel-Hudson wrote about. A lot of that just goes with having a special needs kid. I really liked seeing what other parents go through when dealing with the school systems a More...
Mar 24, 2010
Helen
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Story about a cute little girl who has a rare neurological disorder that renders her almost completely non-verbal. Story is about her father's struggle to find her diagnosis and then his even greater struggle to help her communicate. It hammers home the point that you really need to be your own advocate and that trusting authority - doctors, teachers, social workers, etc. really isn't always the best option. Also highlights the good nature of people in regards to how many readers of his blog d
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May 20, 2011
Robyn
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After reading Robert Rummel-Hudson's blog post about the "R" word, I had to read this book about his daughter. I'm glad I did. A lot of the book deals with his insecurities as a father, his struggles to maintain his marriage while dealing with a special needs child, and his need to find a place for his daughter. What I loved about this book is Schuyler. An adorable "punk-ass princess", I fell in love with her spirit and her need to communicate by any means necessary. I fe
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Feb 26, 2009
Karen
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I really enjoyed this book. The author's unconditional love for his daughter was truly touching and his openness and honesty was refreshing. The fact that his political and religious views are very much in line with mine added to my reading pleasure as well. The only thing that kept me from giving it 5 stars is that I felt the author spent too much time in the beginning talking about himself and his wife. I suppose he wanted to have a good feel for the kind of people they are, their marriage
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Feb 07, 2009
Nette
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This book caught me by surprise -- I picked it up from the library during a dry spell and ended up reading it one sitting. The author has a likable, quirky style, the story is compelling, but I found the most fascinating aspect to be the technology that comes to the rescue when things are most desperate. 25 years ago, this smart, funny little girl would have been out of luck, but today, thanks to an unseen army of scientists and computer geeks, and of course, her stubborn parents insisting on
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Dec 10, 2009
Bethany
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I first heard about Schuyler and her monster in an article in Good Housekeeping ("Love Beyond Words," February 2008). It wasn't until recently that I found them again in my Internet travels. After reading Robert Rummel-Hudson's blogs, I knew I had to get the book. Even then, the postal service was slow in delivering it, so I read most of it at the store.
I couldn't put it down! It's beautifully written. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll shake your fists in anger. And then, if More...
I couldn't put it down! It's beautifully written. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll shake your fists in anger. And then, if More...
May 17, 2009
Peggy
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Although the subject matter is tragic, the author takes a loving, humorous, realistic view of his marriage, his machismo, and his daughter's disability. Apparently, he has written a popular, longstanding, slack type blog through the years and then married and had a child and just continued to blog about this huge change in his life. The masculine take on falling in love with a baby and then being in denial and then fighting for his child's right to normalcy was very interesting to read and thr
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Feb 01, 2009
Holly
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This book wasn't very good. It was mostly about how the father coped with his daughter's disability and not as much information about his daughter herself. And not to mention he coped with it by cheating on his wife and whining throughout most of the book. The only interesting part for me was at the end when it was describing how Schuyler (the little girl in the story, she can't speak because of a brain disorder) learned to use a voice box and her experience going to a school where she was in a
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May 03, 2009
Julia
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I used to read the author's blog years ago and remember reading about Schuyler and her "big box of words." It's nice to get the full story, which also brings up (though not explicitly) larger issues of disability and special ed politics. Thing is, the author struck me as kind of a jerk in the book, something I never thought about him while reading his blog. I think my problem was that he spends too much time explaining how angry he was, for years, at pretty much everyone, and not enoug
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Dec 07, 2011
Alesha
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A story that is fascinating, engaging, inspiring, and infuriating (based on the challenges the family encounters) in turn. As an SLP student, I would have enjoyed even more anecdotes about Schuyler and her "Box of Words", but even so, the book gave a really insightful look at what it's like to live with and battle the "monster" of the inability to speak. Schuyler's dad is painfully honest about his own experiences with Schuyler's monster. His constant fear of failing Schuyler
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Sep 05, 2011
Caitlin
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In some ways reading this book was like staring into a mirror. Rob (I want to call the author by his first name because his narrative comes off in such a personal way it feels like I know him) talks about the shocking realization that his daughter isn't developing normally just like we did with our daughter. He talks about the crushing discouragement that comes from having no diagnosis just like we are experiencing. He describes the strange paradox of relief and dread when finally finding a name
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Feb 27, 2011
Stephen
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Parent memoirs about kids with problems come out pretty regularly every year, and I've read a bunch of them. Some present a detailed picture of a hellish life in which hope never rears its head. Some tell the story of a cure (unconventional, of course--just about any time a developmentally disabled kid makes real progress it's the result of trying something unusual) and thereby incite a stampede of families seeking to emulate what was done (alas, without comparable success). Some take the attitu
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Dec 31, 2011
Katie
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I loved this book for several reasons:
1. I don't read much nonfiction, and sometimes I forget that real life can be as interesting as made-up stories. This book was written by an everyday man, a father, about his experiences with his daughter who was diagnosed with a rare brain malformation. This family's story is incredible!
2. I like how it showed a real depiction of public schools' special education programs. Schools don't think about the parent's side as often as they More...
1. I don't read much nonfiction, and sometimes I forget that real life can be as interesting as made-up stories. This book was written by an everyday man, a father, about his experiences with his daughter who was diagnosed with a rare brain malformation. This family's story is incredible!
2. I like how it showed a real depiction of public schools' special education programs. Schools don't think about the parent's side as often as they More...
Dec 17, 2009
Eric
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This book was an extremely personal read for me. I have a special needs child who has some issues that are very similar to Schuyler's. Suffice it to say, I spent most of the book relating to the Rummel-Hudsons in an intense way. If you have a special needs child, especially one that is of pre-school age, this is a must-read. This family's experiences with well-meaning doctors and educators is an excellent prep for what you will experience. More importantly, it is an affirmation of the faith you
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Jul 03, 2009
Jill
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Not since Baby Catcher have I laughed out loud like this at a sad but funny memoir. I totally dug the author's sense of humor, the pacing and readability were fluid, and boy, what a great name that kid has. :)
It was also an interesting read because of the subject matter, and Rummel-Hudson balances the amount of "doctor speak" with lots of plain and simple explanations about Schuyler's condition. The part I found most fascinating about her condition was how she can say " More...
It was also an interesting read because of the subject matter, and Rummel-Hudson balances the amount of "doctor speak" with lots of plain and simple explanations about Schuyler's condition. The part I found most fascinating about her condition was how she can say " More...
Jan 29, 2012
Jeremy
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Robert Rummel-Hudson does a great job describing what it is to be an early parent. I imagine many parents are like me, wondering if their kid is ok, wondering what it means if other kids their age are doing things your kid doesn’t do. His daughter Schuyler (pronounced Skyler) seems to be the normal, happy kid, but has an undiagnosed disease, her “monster” waiting to surprise them. The monster is polymicrogyria, an very rare (only 100 cases were known at the time) brain malformation that has t
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Jul 26, 2008
Bev
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A lot of people have been waiting for this book for a long time, and thank goodness it was well worth the wait. Many of us first encountered Schuyler either just before or shortly after her birth, through reading Rob's web site, then called "Darn Tootin'" (now called "My Beloved Monster andMe"). We watched as Rob and Julie struggled with growing awareness that Schuyler's slowness to talk was more than just slowness. We cried with them as they learned of her "monster,"
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Jun 12, 2008
Vicki
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I picked this up to read mostly for professional reasons, but I found most of it to be a wonderful book. The first third I had to force myself to keep reading. To me it sounded like the self-indulgent blogs (written by people who are strangers to me) about fatherhood and having young children that I tend to avoid. I'm happy you fell in love with your daughter but I don't need to hear about it in that kind of detail.
Anyways, the second third of the book discusses the process of g More...
Anyways, the second third of the book discusses the process of g More...
Jan 07, 2011
Jeanette
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i read about this in a magazine and it really reminded me of my niece who has special needs. i finally got it from my book swap and i am so glad i read it!
When Schuyler (Skylar)was 18 months old, a question about her lack of speech by her pediatrician set in motion a journey that will continue for her lifetime. She was diagnosed with an extremely rare neurological disorder caused by a malformation of the brain- a monster that had been stalking the family from doctor visit to doctor vis More...
When Schuyler (Skylar)was 18 months old, a question about her lack of speech by her pediatrician set in motion a journey that will continue for her lifetime. She was diagnosed with an extremely rare neurological disorder caused by a malformation of the brain- a monster that had been stalking the family from doctor visit to doctor vis More...
Apr 09, 2008
Sandra
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I must confess that this book wasn't even on my radar until I went to a book-signing in Plano featuring my author-friend, Karen Harrington ("Janeology"), at which Rob, Julie and Schuyler were present. No lie: I was immediately and unguardedly taken by Schuyler. Then I learned about her Monster. There is something in her eyes, her face, that reveals that there are so many facets beyond her wordlessness. I can almost feel the vibrations from what she wants to transmit, to divulge.
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Mar 18, 2008
Allison
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I found Rob's blog awhile back through link-hopping - he's friends with a lot of my friends - and I really enjoy reading his adventures with his daughter. I was very excited to read the book, and I even attended the book party in NYC and met Rob (finally).
I enjoyed the book. The pace is good, the insights are great, and Schuyler is, of course, amazing. It was also great to read the story from the beginning, which I hadn't done since the blog spans so many years. It's a very emotiona More...
I enjoyed the book. The pace is good, the insights are great, and Schuyler is, of course, amazing. It was also great to read the story from the beginning, which I hadn't done since the blog spans so many years. It's a very emotiona More...
