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justgeekingby's review against another edition
4.0
I'll be posting my review for this book in September as a part of GeekDis a collaborative event I am hosting in September for the disabled community to discuss disability representation in pop culture.
You can learn more about GeekDis and how to take join in the discussion here!
ljrinaldi's review against another edition
4.0
At first glance, this has the usual disabled historical figures. You know, Beethoven for being deaf, Steven Hawking for having ALS, and Frida Kahlo for having the back issues.
But then we get into Paralympic athletes who have done amazing things, and actors, and scientists.
But I think the statement by Stella Young, a comedian, says it all. She has brittle bone disease so has to use a wheelchair to get around. She gave a TED talk called "I am not your inspiration", which is true. We don't have to look at the disabled to be inspired.
Wonderful people chosen, such as Aaron Phillip, a model who is in a wheel chair, because of cerebral palsy, but is also trans. There is Isabella Springmuhl Tejada who has Down Sysdrome, but manages her own fashion line. And there is Naoki HIgashida, a young author who has autism.
Wonderful book to introduce kids to the world of people with disabilities.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
But then we get into Paralympic athletes who have done amazing things, and actors, and scientists.
But I think the statement by Stella Young, a comedian, says it all. She has brittle bone disease so has to use a wheelchair to get around. She gave a TED talk called "I am not your inspiration", which is true. We don't have to look at the disabled to be inspired.
Wonderful people chosen, such as Aaron Phillip, a model who is in a wheel chair, because of cerebral palsy, but is also trans. There is Isabella Springmuhl Tejada who has Down Sysdrome, but manages her own fashion line. And there is Naoki HIgashida, a young author who has autism.
Wonderful book to introduce kids to the world of people with disabilities.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
bardicbramley's review
4.0
An amazing collection of short stories, detailing the lives and achievements of 34 incredible and disabled humans.
I love so much about this book.
It is written by a disabled author - so the language that is used, the community it portrays and the values it highlights are own voice and accurate. Cerrie uses identity first language ('disabled person' not 'person with a disability') and talks about the personal, everyday achievements of individuals alongside the inspirational.
The book has a good balance of historical vs current figures, a massive range of specialist areas, and spans across the world.
It also takes time to talk about hidden disabilities, mental health, and highlights complex prejudices such as race and gender alongside disability.
All of this is done in a child friendly way that both disabled and non-disabled children will be able to relate to, find incredibly inspiring at the right times, but also gain a clear understanding that inspiration is not the only worth a disabled person can have.
I only scored 4 stars as the copy I read was released in 2020 and contains a section where the life of Demi Lovato is discussed, with considerable (understandable) migendering. I would be interested to see if future editions are edited (which from the tone of the rest of the book, I imagine is highly likely) .
I love so much about this book.
It is written by a disabled author - so the language that is used, the community it portrays and the values it highlights are own voice and accurate. Cerrie uses identity first language ('disabled person' not 'person with a disability') and talks about the personal, everyday achievements of individuals alongside the inspirational.
The book has a good balance of historical vs current figures, a massive range of specialist areas, and spans across the world.
It also takes time to talk about hidden disabilities, mental health, and highlights complex prejudices such as race and gender alongside disability.
All of this is done in a child friendly way that both disabled and non-disabled children will be able to relate to, find incredibly inspiring at the right times, but also gain a clear understanding that inspiration is not the only worth a disabled person can have.
I only scored 4 stars as the copy I read was released in 2020 and contains a section where the life of Demi Lovato is discussed, with considerable (understandable) migendering. I would be interested to see if future editions are edited (which from the tone of the rest of the book, I imagine is highly likely) .
abigailbat's review against another edition
This collective biography gathers brief bios of 34 different disabled people who have done awesome things. I really appreciate how diverse the collection is, highlighting not only people with a variety of different disabilities (physical and mental, visible and invisible), but people from around the globe and of many different races. While collective biographies abound, this is an important book for representation of people with disabilities - something that is still very much lacking in the publishing landscape.
panda_incognito's review against another edition
4.0
This beautifully illustrated book shares the stories of thirty-four disabled people who have triumphed in various fields. The author's note at the beginning explains that as a disabled child, she struggled with the lack of representation around her, and she writes these bios with sensitivity to the different experiences of each person, never presenting them in monolithic ways or enshrining them as superhuman inspirations.
She strikes the right balance between celebrating those who have overcome difficult odds and dignifying each person as an individual, not as an inspiration for someone able-bodied. However, I think that some of the bios are overly rosy and cheerful. The author often goes into detail about a subject's bodily struggles and social obstacles, but in some cases, she glosses over these too quickly to write about the person's accomplishments. I know that she was dealing with word-count constraints and writing a book for children, but in some cases, it seemed like she wasn't being completely forthcoming about people's trauma and suffering.
Still, that is only a minor complaint for a book that accomplishes its aims so well. It is very educational, and it is amazingly global and diverse, representing lots of different time periods, races, and nations. Even though I was already familiar with some of these historical figures and celebrities, I had never heard of most of them, and I am glad that I had the chance to learn so much from this.
This book addresses disability in a clear and helpful way, and raises awareness through its sections on mental health struggles and invisible disabilities. I am impressed with how educational and moving this book is without ever becoming didactic or saccharine, and recommend it as a great resource for individual readers and schools.
I received an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
She strikes the right balance between celebrating those who have overcome difficult odds and dignifying each person as an individual, not as an inspiration for someone able-bodied. However, I think that some of the bios are overly rosy and cheerful. The author often goes into detail about a subject's bodily struggles and social obstacles, but in some cases, she glosses over these too quickly to write about the person's accomplishments. I know that she was dealing with word-count constraints and writing a book for children, but in some cases, it seemed like she wasn't being completely forthcoming about people's trauma and suffering.
Still, that is only a minor complaint for a book that accomplishes its aims so well. It is very educational, and it is amazingly global and diverse, representing lots of different time periods, races, and nations. Even though I was already familiar with some of these historical figures and celebrities, I had never heard of most of them, and I am glad that I had the chance to learn so much from this.
This book addresses disability in a clear and helpful way, and raises awareness through its sections on mental health struggles and invisible disabilities. I am impressed with how educational and moving this book is without ever becoming didactic or saccharine, and recommend it as a great resource for individual readers and schools.
I received an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
emeelee's review against another edition
4.0
Great diverse collection of bios about disabled difference-makers from all over the world. Many are names I was unaware of (Arunima Sinha, Isabella Springmuhl Tejada, Aaron Philip), some are famous names well-known for their disabilities (Stevie Wonder, Stephen Hawking, Helen Keller), and some are famous names I didn't realize are/were disabled (Henri Matisse, Abraham Lincoln, Lady Gaga). The artwork is beautiful, and though the writing wasn't anything special it gets the job done. Overall, a wonderful addition to the many mini-biography collections that are being published recently.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this eARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this eARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!