The Sibling with Special Needs Award

[Jaylynn]

There is no such thing as “the perfect family,” because each and every family has it’s own personality that truly defines them. However, what about the families that have a child with special needs? Many families in America have children with special needs or disabilities and each member of the family must learn about how their son/daughter or brother/sister’s mind works. Gary Direnfeld stated, “The truth is though that having a sibling with a special need can provide remarkable opportunity for the other siblings to learn lessons in humanity. Far from the concern for negative implications, positive outcomes include sensitivity to others and a remarkable ability to contribute to the betterment of society be it at the local community level on behalf of disadvantaged populations, or the larger community through social action and social policy.” Sometimes when a child within a family has a disability, the other siblings have a hard time dealing with it. They may think their family isn’t “normal,” but what they end up learning is that their sibling is one of the most useful learning tools they will ever encounter.

This award is designed to help the siblings understand their brother/sister’s disability, because I myself was one of those older sisters. My younger brother Johnny, who is now in his senior year of high school, has ADHD and slight/mild mental retardation. He is as normal as every other child in his class; he loves football, always wants to go to the mall to buy new clothes, and he even has a girlfriend. Although, when we were younger, I didn’t understand why my mom would say, “Your brother is special Jaylynn.” There are many books out there to help explain every disability to children. The book should be for children ages 6-12 and explains the disability in a loving way to the sibling. Have fun and happy searching!

[Jacqueline]

What's Wrong with Timmy?
This book is great at showing the feelings of everyone involved with Timmy, as well as the bigger picture. In the end, Kate's mom tells her that we should focus on what Timmy can do and to treat him like anyone else.

[Brandin]

Princess Pooh
Good for teaching children to be more understanding of their siblings with special needs by putting themselves in their sibling's shoes.

[Ashley]

We'll Paint the Octopus Red

A six-year-old little girl has a new brother and can't wait to play with him, but she soon finds out that he has down syndrome. She worries that he won't be able to do the fun things that she had wanted to teach him.

This book is a good choice because it reassures both parents and children that have to deal with a family member that has a disorder. It also answers questions that children may be wondering about down syndrome.

[Cherina]

Brothers and Sisters

This book is full of examples of siblings with special needs. Each family introduces their brothers and sisters and describes how they help each other out. There are so many disabilities listed; readers get an opportunity to learn a little about each one mentioned. Most importantly, the book demonstrates how these families participate in typical activities, like other families in America. This book brings hope to families with special needs children and offers encouragement when it may be difficult to find.

[Amanda]

Granny Torrelli Makes Soup
The two children in the story were only born a week apart and were raised just like siblings. Rosie struggles with her best buddy, Bailey, who is visually impaired. Granny Torrelli helps the two ammend their situation.

[Loray]

Zoom! Robert Munsch

[Ryan]

My Brother, Matthew

[Lisa]

Ian's Walk: A Story About Autism

Tara and Julie, Ian's big sisters, take their brother, who is autistic, for a walk. Throughout the day Ian hears, smells, tastes and sees things differently than his sisters, sometimes annoying them. At one point Ian wanders away. They panic, but Julie closes her eyes and tries to think like Ian. Is he at the water fountain watching the stream of water gush past his eyes? Or is it the bell in the center of the park? She finds him ringing the bell. The sisters display their frustration but also compassion for their brother. This story provides an insight into the world of autism and how it affects the healthy family members.

[Jaylynn]

Princess Pooh
And the winner is....Princess Pooh by Kathleen Muldoon nominated by Brandin Kitt. This book truly displayed the criteria for my award and really touched me. I could related to Patty Jean and it brought me back to my childhood with my own brother. Patty Jean thinks her sister's life is so easy, but after she steals her wheelchair she learns the struggle that her sister goes through everyday.