Review of Like Me

Title: Like Me: A Story About Disability and Discovering God’s Image in Every Person
Author: Laura Wifler
Illustrator: Skylar White
Age Range: Preschool to 7 years old
Pages: 40

Main Characters:
A young boy and his 4-year-old brother with a disability, and their mother who hustles all day to make their lives the best it can be.

Bonus Characters:
Books get me when they add a dog into the story.

Overview:
This book is a day in the life of a family whose youngest child has a disability. It tells in simple verse and shows with colorful illustrations how some families are different because they have to make special accommodations and take time to attend therapy sessions. It also shows how this family and the child with the disability have way more in common with everyone else than we may think.

Why I like this book:
Much like the family in this book, our days were not the typical American family type of days. One of our sons had a double whammy of selective antibody deficiency and PANDAS. He struggled with gross motor skill coordination and was sensory seeking. The other son was born with birth defects that led to several surgeries and procedures until the age of 8 and was sensory defensive. As you can imagine, we spent a lot of our homeschooling hours at doctor’s offices and occupational therapy sessions. Add to this the many foods they both had to avoid, which made for some sad times of being left out and many questions from others about why they could not eat the Goldfish crackers with all the other kids. My children struggled with feeling different and left out. These experiences are part of the reason I wrote Pippin You Are Just ALL Right! This story and the illustrations hit home for me as we were just trying to make it through a day and do so with joy. There is a two-page spread that discusses the different physical and emotional behaviors of the children waiting in the therapist's office. This is an excellent spot to stop and discuss how we can handle when we see something similar. Lord knows there were some grown-ups who needed that lesson when my boys were small. Instead of gaping at me and my boys as I was trying to make it through the grocery store, I really could have used a smile. I especially enjoyed that sledding scene that showed how the child with a disability was included in the activities the other children were enjoying.

Summer’s Read Aloud Meter

Relatable Characters:
One of my favorite parts of this book is it shows the older brother joyfully helping his brother out and also experiencing frustration with his younger brother not understanding how to play along with him and his friend. You can imagine how it feels to be your brother's biggest champion and also wish that the disability did not interfere with your relationship with him.

Draws you into the wonder of nature:
Most of the story happens indoors. Even though animals and nature are not a central theme in this book, the author includes scenes of the main characters and many children enjoying sledding in the crisp white snow. The front cover illustration shows the brothers enjoying a walk in the brisk winter weather.

A story to hang truths on:
This story is told in a straightforward first-person view of the older brother, and the truths are plainly written out in words. One of these truths is given in the mother’s voice: God made you, God loves you, and God is kind to you. The beauty of her saying these words is she realizes that both her son with the disability and her typical son need to hear this. In fact, we all need to hear these words and let our mind meditate on it.

Humor:
This is a pretty serious topic, and there is not a lot of room for illustrations to induce giggles. Though nothing is laugh-out-loud funny, your heart will be warmed as we see a family and community that is full of smiles and laughter.

Great illustrations:
The illustrator goes the extra mile by creating a two-page scene to start and finish the book on. These illustrations can be found on the front and back endpapers. They harken back to some of my favorite 1940s illustrations and, whether intentional or not, show that the same good GOD above oversees each situation.

Last Thoughts

Would you like to support a small business? You can purchase a copy of Like Me directly from Laura here. If you would like to combine the book purchse with other items at CBD go here.

The author Laura Wifler is the co-founder and co-host of the popular ministry Risen Motherhood. This ministry's tagline is “gospel hope for moms.” Their aim is to encourage, equip, and challenge moms all over the world to grasp overarching, timeless, transcultural biblical principles, rooted in the good news of Jesus Christ. Risen Motherhood is worth checking out. Take time to listen to one of Laura and her co-host Emily’s podcasts or read the articles. There are many book recommendations under the "Our Recs" tab. If you have struggled with grief or loss, please look under the book grouping "Grief and Suffering." There are many books to encourage you through difficult times.