Hey siblings! We’re always excited to see you come through the doors of our clinic. We know that you bring a unique perspective and we to love to hear your ideas.
We enjoy listening to you share about your family’s life, things your sibling is good at, ways you make each other laugh, what you like to do together, and activities you’d like to be able to do together someday. Your thoughts are insightful and valuable.
Here are 5 great books about growing up with a sibling who has a disability. These books all capture the complexities of sibling relationships when disability is present. Check out these books to hear how other siblings describe their experiences, get suggestions for navigating situations, learn about possible resources, and enjoy the shared camaraderie of others who “get it.” Stop by the McKee Clinic to read through these books located in the family resource library.
Oh, Brother! Growing Up with a Special Needs Sibling, By Natalie Hale
This book, written for upper elementary and middle school-aged readers, is based on the true story of siblings, Becca and Johnathon. Through Becca’s experiences, readers can gain suggestions for dealing with a variety of sibling issues. With chapters titled, “Before You Come to My House,” “Getting My Feelings Out,” and “I’m Not the Parent,” it’s both funny and honest.
Views from Our Shoes: Growing Up with a Brother or Sister with Special Needs, Edited by Donald Meyer
This book contains 45 short essays from siblings describing their relationships with their brothers or sisters who have disabilities. These essay authors range in age from 4 years through 18 years old, and have siblings with a variety of diagnoses. See the back of the book for questions that may help siblings get started on writing their own essays about their experiences.
Just Because, By Rebecca Elliott
This sweet story is about Toby, and his older sister, Clemmie. Toby shares about the things his sister does, doesn’t do, likes, and dislikes. She simply is who she is. A great book for younger readers.
The Sibling Slam Book: What it’s Really Like to Have a Brother or Sister with Special Needs, Edited by Don Meyer
More than 80 teens from around the world answer many questions about having a brother or sister with a disability. Questions range from light-hearted to more serious, including, “What do you tell your friends about your sib’s disability?” and “Is your outlook on life different from your friends’ outlooks on life?” Their honest and thoughtful responses reflect a range of experiences and attitudes.
The Sibling Survival Guide: Indispensable Information for Brothers and Sisters of Adults with Disabilities, Edited by Don Meyer & Emily Holl, Foreword by Rachel Simon
This book is for older teens and adults across the life span. Topics include research that has been done about the sibling experience, self-care and support, and planning for the future. This book also contains an introduction to adult services, such as types of employment and guardianship information.
Happy reading!
Norah Garrity, MS, CCC-SLP