The Bottom Line
Dan Kennedy's book offers a stirring view of the challenges of parenting a child with a disability, and adds significantly to the understanding of achondroplasia and its impact on a child and a family.
Pros
- Sensitively and compassionately treats the issue of dwarfism
- Reflects the heartfelt feelings of a father for his disabled daughter
- Offers critical insights into "designer genetics"
Cons
- The book is a little short on seeing Becky's challenges from her point of view
Description
- Little People is an important read for fathers of children with disabilities.
- This book offers an important statement about the way people see dwarfism.
- Dan Kennedy offers a stirring defense of the need of all of us to better value diversity.
- Of additional interest, the author offers insights into the cultural background of dwarfs.
- The book takes a very critical look at the current trend toward designer genetics.
Guide Review - Little People: Learning to See the World Through My Daughter's Eyes
I really enjoyed reading Dan Kennedy's book Little People. Dan's daughter Becky was diagnosed with achondroplasia, commonly referred to as dwarfism at one week of age. Dan's sharing of his life as Becky's father and dealing with the social and cultural challenges of having a daughter different than her parents has application to dads of children with any disability. The book's style is to intermix the personal drama of Becky's life story with a broader societal and historical treatment of dwarfism and disability in general. His review of the history of the "experiments" of Nazi scientists on people afflicted with dwarfism shows the truly gruesome side of this dark day in human history. The central message of Dan's book is one that is important to all fathers who love their children--our need to not only love but defend our children's uniqueness and personality. Each child and human is of value, and fathers have a need to protect and preserve that value.
