Not So Different by Shane Burcaw

In Not So Different, disability activist Shane Burcaw answers questions about life as a wheelchair-bound man with a lively intellect.

Not So Different: What you REALLY Want to Ask about Having a Disability by Shane Burcaw. Photos by Matt Carr. Roaring Brook, 2021, 33 pages.

Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8

Recommended for: ages 6-12

Shane was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), which became evident around the age of seven months. SMA restricts the proteins that build muscles, so Shane has never been able to walk, stand, eat, or carry out any ordinary activity by himself. His parents and brother are essential allies and their good-natured support is lovely to see. Shane himself displays a lively sense of humor in the posed photos that illustrate his life as he answers the questions he is typically asked. The imaginative compositions will engage and fascinate young readers.

Now an adult, Shane leads as normal a life as is possible, with a job, girlfriend, travel, and social interactions of all kinds. He’s frank about the facts of life for a severely disabled person, in a way that kids can easily relate to. “Q: Do people ever make fun of you? A: Occasionally, and it hurts my feelings because if they knew me a little better they would see I’m not so different!” His message of kindness and respect is effective and well-said. NOTE: Shane is the author of Laughing at My Nightmare (a more explicit exposition for grownups) and is head of LAMN Inc., a nonprofit for enabling the disabled.

Overall Rating: 3.75 (out of 5)

• Worldview/moral value: 3.5
• Artistic/literary value: 4.25

Read more about our ratings here.                 

Also at Redeemed Reader

• Review: Daniel Stefanski, an autistic kid, explains How to Talk to An Autistic Kid.
• Reviews: Out of My Mind and Out of My Heart, Sharon Draper’s novels about Melody Brooks, delve into the inner life of a girl with cerebral palsy.

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