We'll Paint the Octopus Red

Rating:
Summary: An Insightful Story Simply Told
Review: I bought this book for my 6 year old niece who has a younger sister with Down Syndrome. So far everyone she has shown this book to has bought it.

It's a wonderful book and I still can't get through it without crying. Such a simple and compassionate story about a little girl understanding the differences in her brother with down syndrome. A story that involves her father explaining down and a child's simple understanding that her new brother can still do the same things.

Rating:
Summary: An Insightful Story Simply Told
Review: I originally purchased We'll Paint the Octopus Red to help me explain Down Syndrome to my older daughter when my younger daughter was born: the whys and how comes the little one needed more attention. The story is simply told. The only child will now become an older child. She and her younger sibling will have so much fun together, her dad advises. But on the day that the baby is born, the dad is sad and tells his daughter that the baby has Down Syndrome. The daughter, in her innocence, carefully reviews all the plans that her dad said she could do with her baby brother. After each example, the dad advises that they could still do the activity with a little patience. Slowly, the daughter teaches the dad and the reader that children with Down Syndrome can do almost anything with love, patience, understanding and the opportunity to try. The book not only gave guidance to my husband and me, but also was helpful in breaking down old stereotypes and ideas held by our parents.

Rating:
Summary: Best book for this age group
Review: Six year old Emma isn't very happy about the idea of having a new brother or sister but when Emma and her dad start thinking of all the things that they can do with the new baby, Emma becomes excited at the prospect of being a big sister. When her dad comes home and tells Emma that her new brother, Isaac, has Down syndrome, Emma worries that he won't be able to do any of the fun things that she has imagined. As Emma and her dad think back over all the things they wanted to do with the new baby, they realize together that as long as they are patient and helped him when he needed it, there wasn't anything he couldn't do. This is a reassuring story for young children bewildered by Down syndrome and what it means for their relationship with their new sibling. This is truly a wonderful story. Your child will ask you why you are crying after you read it to them. Of all the books for this age group, this book is by far the best.

Rating:
Summary: MUCH better than Maria Shriver's story
Review: This is a great, simple, accurate, sweet book about a little girl who has a brother with Down syndrome. It explains that kids with Down syndrome need more time and patience, but they all can learn to do the things other kids do. I highly recommend this book to kids with Down syndrome and their siblings, friends, neighbors and relatives. It's good on its own and as an alternative to What's Wrong With Timmy?, a book that covers the same topic in a much less appealing manner.