Special Life

Sixth grade is coming to an end, and so is life as Macy McMillan knows it. Soon, her mother will upend their perfect little family, adding a stepfather and six-year-old twin stepsisters. She sends Macy next door to help 86-year-old Iris Gillan, who is getting ready to move into an assisted-living facility. Iris can't pack a single box on her own, and, worse, she doesn't know sign language. Soon, through notes and books and cookies, a bond grows between them, and this friendship, odd and unexpected, may be just what Macy needs to face the changes in her life.

Set amid the riot, intrigue, and pageantry of medieval Paris, Victor Hugo's masterful tale of heroism and adventure has been a perennial favorite since its first publication in 1831. It is the story of Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer of the Notre Dame Cathedral, who falls in love with the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda. When Esmeralda is condemned as a witch by Claude Frollo, the tormented archdeacon who lusts after her, Quasimodo attempts to save her; but his intentions are misunderstood.

When Peter Flom was five years old, his parents were told that he had "minimal brain dysfunction" and "would never go to college". Peter skipped one year of high school, did college in three years, and got his BA at 20. In Screwed Up Somehow but Not Stupid, Peter describes what it's like to live with a learning disability, but also some abilities.

12-year-old Ella Jones has been blind for two years and is navigating her new world with the help of her guide dog Maisie, her sister Poppy and her best friend Finn. One day, on a visit to central London with her family, a light in the world is suddenly extinguished, causing panic and chaos as people are plunged into pitch black. A pagan god of light, Lugh, has been released from his millennium-old-prison by a shadowy villain and, out for revenge on humans, has brought darkness down on the world. But Ella is the hero the world needs.

How to Live with ADHD is an informative guide for people living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It provides insights into the condition, as well as proven strategies to improve focus and reduce anxiety. Focusing on an holistic approach to managing your symptoms, it will provide a pathway to help you develop healthy new habits of body and mind.

Growing up with a learning disability, Josh was often told what he wouldn't be able to do. Fortunately, he did not listen. With the help of some wonderful teachers and friends, Josh found that he can do more than others ever predicted. Follow Josh on his journey through school, work, and his long-time participation in Special Olympics. Watch him confront challenges, overcome obstacles, and keep moving forward. This inspiring story will have you rooting for Josh from start to finish.

This book spotlights female scientist Temple Grandin, whose experience being on the autism spectrum has informed her advocacy and her work as an animal behaviorist. Temple Grandin's pride in being different and how it shaped her world is celebrated in this biography.

In Just Ask, United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor celebrates the different abilities kids (and people of all ages) have. Using her own experience as a child who was diagnosed with diabetes, Justice Sotomayor writes about children with all sorts of challenges - and looks at the special powers those kids have as well. As the kids work together to build a community garden, asking questions of each other along the way, this book encourages listeners to do the same.

As a young teacher on Martha’s Vineyard, Mary Lambert feels restless and adrift. So when a league of missionaries invite her to travel abroad, she knows it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Paris is home to a pioneering deaf school where she could meet its visionary instructors Jean Massieu and Laurent Clerc—and even bring back their methods to help advance formal deaf education in America!

Prayer is a profound and transformative practice that connects individuals with the divine, offering solace, guidance, and strength in various moments of life. Rooted in a deep spiritual relationship, prayer is a universal language that transcends cultures and beliefs. The Bible serves as a timeless source of wisdom and inspiration, providing a comprehensive guide to prayer for every occasion. In the quiet moments of the morning, as the sun gently rises, prayer becomes a conversation with the Creator. Expressing gratitude for the gift of a new day and seeking guidance for the challenges ...

Liam lives in the Bay Area near San Francisco with his mom and two younger sisters. And then there's Cupcake, their lovable German shepherd, who guards their basement apartment. Recently, Cupcake has a problem - she's peeing in the house. The kids need to make enough money to take her to the vet before their landlord upstairs finds out. And Mom and Dad have said if Cupcake doesn't stop, they will find her a new home. But the kids will never let Cupcake go. Can they save her?

How do we help our children when they are experiencing hot emotions like frustration? The starting point is to acknowledge and accept that the feelings are there. And then, we can begin to respond to them in a calm manner. Frustrated Ninja gets really hot and bothered by big emotions! Find out how Frustrated Ninja recognizes the flames and cools down before it’s too late! Life is tough. But so are you!

Noah Savino has been stuck in a wheelchair for months. He hates the way people treat him like he’s helpless now. He’s sick of going to physical therapy, where he isn’t making any progress. He’s tired of not having control over his own body. And he misses playing baseball - but not as much as he misses his dad, who died in the car accident that paralyzed Noah. Noah is scared he’ll never feel like his old self again. He doesn’t want people to think of him as different for the rest of his life.

Five hundred years before the birth of Jesus, a God-realized being named Lao-tzu in ancient China dictated 81 verses, which are regarded by many as the ultimate commentary on the nature of our existence. The classic text of these 81 verses, called the Tao Te Ching or the Great Way, offers advice and guidance that is balanced, moral, spiritual, and always concerned with working for the good.

Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing after a childhood illness, but she didn't let that stop her from learning to read, speak, and make a difference. She was the first person who was both deaf and blind to go to and graduate from college, and she continued to write books and articles, speak in public, and stand up for the rights she believed everyone should have, inspiring others to do the same.

An unflinching and luminous memoir that explores a father’s philosophical transformation when he must reconsider the questions what makes us human? and whose life is worth living? Before becoming a father, Chris Gabbard was a fast-track academic finishing his doctoral dissertation at Stanford. A disciple of Enlightenment thinkers, he was a devotee of reason, believed in the reliability of science, and lived by the dictum that an unexamined life is not worth living. That is, until his son August was born.

A delightful and humorous diary account from Bix, a plain Jane from a struggling family trying to outdo and steal the third-grade classroom stage from Valerie, whose mother is a famous author. Miss Popular may be a wheelchair-user, but she knows how to charm the classroom, and her pink bejeweled wheelchair rules.

Scarlett Fife has BIG FEELINGS. And when she tries to squash them down, they come back up with shocking results! Scarlett knows she should be happy about all the big news that her family wants to share. But the worry is making her dizzy, and being dizzy is making her worried. Feelings are like slime in a party bag. No matter how much someone tells you to keep it in, it'll always find its way out. And very soon, Scarlett notices that every time she pushes her worries down, they shake her world. Literally.

Fourth grade is not going at all how Benny Barrows hoped. He hasn't found a new best friend. He's still not a great bike rider - even though his brother, George, who's autistic, can do tricks. And, worst of all, he worries his dad's recent accident might be all his fault. Benny tries to take his mom's advice and focus on helping others and to take things one step at a time. But when his dad ends up in the hospital again, Benny doesn't know how he and his family will overcome all the bad luck that life seems to have thrown their way.

Quijana is a girl in pieces. One-half Guatemalan, one-half American: When Quijana's Guatemalan cousins move to town, her dad seems ashamed that she doesn't know more about her family's heritage. One-half crush, one-half buddy: When Quijana meets Zuri and Jayden, she knows she's found true friends. But she can't help the growing feelings she has for Jayden. One-half kid, one-half grown-up: Quijana spends her nights Skyping with her ailing grandma and trying to figure out what's going on with her increasingly hard-to-reach brother.