BOOK MARKED
6 Books for
Special Needs Parents
Raising a child with a disability can feel confusing and isolating. These books,
recommended by Julia Wolhandler, manager of the Center for Accessibility
at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in D.C., aim to relieve some of
those difficult feelings by providing advice and understanding from medical
professionals and other parents of children with special needs.

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO
CREATING A SPECIAL NEEDS
LIFE PLAN
By Hal Wright
Written for parents and professionals, this
book outlines how developing a life plan
can help children with disabilities gain
independence as they grow up. Wright
explores employment and residential
options, government programs, and
financial and legal considerations, including
special needs trusts.

MADE TO HEAR
By Laura Mauldin
Based on research from her Ph.D. dissertation,
Mauldin examines the expectations and
consequences of cochlear implant surgery. Her
focus is on the lack of information available to
help parents make an appropriate decision and
the long struggle children and their families
face once the device is implanted.

THE SILENT GARDEN
By Paul W. Ogden and
David H. Smith
First published in 1996, “The Silent Garden”
FAR FROM THE TREE
has continued to be a valuable resource for
By Andrew Solomon
Solomon, who writes about families coping parents of deaf children seeking to navigate the
with deafness, dwarfism, Down syndrome, confusing and conflicting maze of information
autism, schizophrenia and other disabilities, provided by medical professionals and
believes that differences are what unite us. educators. Written from the perspectives of
Shareing stories of parents with children who two deaf parents, Ogden and Smith provide an
are prodigies, who were conceived in rape, who unbiased take on the challenges of raising a deaf
become criminals and who are transgender, he child and what parents can expect.

explores how people who love each other can
still struggle to accept each other.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF PERFECT
Edited by Cindy Dowling, Neil Nicoll and
RAISING A RARE GIRL
Bernadette Thomas
By Heather Lanier
Special needs parents will find comfort and
In this memoir, Lanier shares the story of wisdom in this collection of more than 50
her daughter’s ultra-rare illness, the genetic deeply personal essays written by parents of
disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, and children across the spectrum of disability.

how the diagnosis challenged all of her The essays explore the emotional journey of
preconceptions about motherhood. The book raising a child with special needs and offer
explores the sometimes radical act of loving practical advice and encouragement for other
one’s child just as they are.

parents going through it. ■
36 Washington FAMILY JULY 2021



Screen-Free
Summer Entertainment
From a diverse array of music
to captivating stories, these
radio shows and podcasts
will capture the imagination of
your little ones.

HALFPOINT / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
BY ELEANOR LINAFELT
ELEANOR AMPLIFIED
A production of WHYY in Philadelphia, “Eleanor
Amplified” is a fictional podcast series that follows a
radio reporter as she chases exciting stories. Offering
an introduction to journalism, it is designed to appeal
to the whole family, but is specifically recommended
for ages 8-12. Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

KID’S CORNER
Celebrating over 30 years on the air, WXPN’s “Kid’s
Corner” is America’s longest-running daily call-in radio
show for kids. Hosted by Kathy O’Connell, this award-
winning show offers entertaining and educational
programs that invite kids ages 5-13 to be involved in
interactive segments. Available at kidscorner.org.

WEE NATION RADIO
This online children's station plays a mix of R&B, funk,
jazz, go-go and hip-hop with the mission of being age-
appropriate and culturally inclusive. You'll also hear
segments featuring children’s authors reading from
their books and West African storytelling. Streaming
online at weenation.com and broadcasted on WPFW in
D.C. as Uncle Devin’s WEE Nation Radio Wednesdays
from 7-8 p.m.

CIRCLE ROUND
From WBUR, Boston’s NPR station, “Circle Round”
is a podcast that adapts international folktales with
universal themes to encourage conversations between
children and adults. Listen carefully for some of your
favorite TV and film stars as characters. Created and
produced by parents of young children, “Circle Round” is
geared toward ages 4-10. Available on Apple Podcasts.

JUMP 105.3
Launched in February, this Pittsburgh-based station
offers well-known and independent music for kids of
all ages through a variety of weekly specialty shows.

Streaming online at jump1053.com.

BUT WHY: A PODCAST FOR CURIOUS KIDS
Vermont Public Radio’s podcast “But Why” attempts to
answer all sorts of questions, big and small, submitted
by kids. Recent episodes include explorations into why
cactuses are spiky and what robots are doing on Mars.

Available on Apple Podcasts.

GOOD NIGHT STORIES FOR REBEL GIRLS
Based on the bestselling book series by the same
name, “Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls” is a podcast
that dives into the stories of remarkable women
throughout history. Well-known leaders, creators and
members of the Rebel Girls community narrate each
episode. Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

WOW IN THE WORLD
The hosts of NPR’s podcast “Wow in the World”
weave news about science, technology and innovation
into fantastical storylines that kids ages 5-12 will find
hilarious. Each episode discusses an exciting new
scientific discovery. Available on Apple Podcasts. ■
WashingtonFAMILY.com 37