My Friend Has Down Syndrome

April 1, 2010
K-Gr 3 -Characters with disabilities are seen through the eyes of their friends, who relate how they behave and how they may seem impolite or distracted, or cause trouble in school. Robby has ADHD, but he's enjoyable to be around because he loves basketball and likes to try new things. Zack has autism, but his love of airplanes makes him a knowledgeable and fun friend. The message is that patience and understanding are the keys to being a good friend, especially to someone with chronic health problems or difficulties relating to others. Back matter offers a more detailed explanation of the disabilities and Did You Know? fact boxes appear on every page. Full-page, colorful illustrations depict multicultural children at home, school, and play. Engaging and empathetic, this set deserves a place on library shelves.

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2010
In each book, a child describes his or her friendship with a kid affected by the title disability. The relentlessly upbeat narrators discuss shared activities, lessons learned, and their anger at children teasing the friend. Scattered "Did you know?" boxes present facts, some vague ("Kids with ADHD are often open to new ideas"). Mixed-media digital illustrations in warm colors depict the pals. Reading list. Glos., ind.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)