The Acorn People

Rating:
Summary: Acorn people
Review: This book was interesting and funny. The characters seem like real people. The story help me understand more about handicapped people and handicapped kids are like any other kids.My favorite characters were Benny B. and Spider because they reminded me of some of my friends that are not handicapped.I also liked this book because it was a true story and was pretty short and had alot of information.

Rating:
Summary: Worth the read (If You Want a Down To Earth Book)
Review: this book does change my outlook on handicap people and it was very down to earth, but it was no Lord Of The Rings. it can just put you to sleep and aint a very exciting read, but i did like the charecters dominic,spider,ron, and benny. b. So if you want a book to chahnge your outlook on life read it (because it did for some people), but if you want an exciting book forget about THE ACORN PEOPLE.

Rating:
Summary: Wow, those poor handicapped kids really can do something!
Review: This book is insulting to anyone who is disabled or who has ever worked with disabled children. The condescending camp counselor is amazed to find that kids with disabilities really do have feelings--can you believe it! He then goes on to extoll his own virtues about how he brilliantly and singlehandedly made it possible for these kids to do "amazing" things. This book promotes most of the negative stereotypes disabled people fight against today. It includes things like cruel name-calling--a boy named Aaron is called "Arid" because of a disorder that makes him smell bad--and this is condoned by the staff? How would you like to send your kid to camp and then find out that everyone including the adults called him "railroad tracks" because of his braces or "four eyes" because of his glasses? Or worse--"Klutz" because she is clumsy, or "Stupid" because she asked an obvious question.

I have been a camp counselor and I have worked with disabled kids, in an integrated setting. What really is inspiring is not stories like this, it's situations where a group of kids, both abled and disabled, bind together to find a way for everyone to participate in everything. If you want to teach kids about disabilities, bring a disabled person into the classroom to talk about everyday life--send your child to an integrated camp--participate in integrated after-school activites--volunteer for the Special Olympics--but please, please, please don't rely on this book.

Rating:
Summary: A book that is definitely IN!
Review: This book is super and if I could I would give it more than 5 stars. This book is great for people who are interested in helping the handicapped and also for those who aren't. this book is also great for those who are handicapped or if they have a friend or relative who is handicapped. Now go and read it already!

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating !!
Review: This book is very cool. I like this book very much. I like this book because it's about handicapped people.Other people and I think there should be more books about handicapped people. I would recommend this book for my little sister, cousin, and to people who like to read about handicapped people.

Rating:
Summary: This book was great !
Review: This book was great. I really liked this book becus.It was a true story .It realy made relies just becus you have a disabilty does not mean you cannot have fun. And it was neat how the kids gave up ther summer to becum A camp counsler.This book thout me a leson . And hofly it will teach other people the same leson . That if you have a disabilty you can still have fun.

Rating:
Summary: Acorn people
Review: This book was interesting and funny. The characters seem like real people. The story help me understand more about handicapped people and handicapped kids are like any other kids.My favorite characters were Benny B. and Spider because they reminded me of some of my friends that are not handicapped.I also liked this book because it was a true story and was pretty short and had alot of information.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty good book
Review: This book was pretty good. It teaches you that you should respect one another's differences, and just have fun. It's about a boy in his teenage years who gets a job as a camp counselor. He's just looking for an easy way to get some money. He figures he will just be playing sports, swimming, and hiking all summer...and then he met the campers. Spider is a boy with no arms or legs. Benny is a boy with polio who needs a wheelchair. Arid is a boy with no bladder who uses a wheelchair. Martin is a blind boy, and Thomas is extremely frail and needs a wheelchair. The counselor's heart drops as he sees them walk into Camp Wiggin. "There goes my summer," he thought. He barely makes it past the first day; all he did was assist people who can not do anything by themselves. The next day, though, the counselor sees the campers for the people that they really are; Benny is fast, spider can swim and he talks a lot, Martin likes girls, and Arid and Thomas start to become more independent. The group makes acorn necklaces at arts and crafts to show their unity. They end up making necklaces for everyone in camp. The counselor and his campers begin to really bond, and they grow as people. They do fun things with each other; things that they would normally not be able to do like hiking up a mountain or swimming. The campers and the counselors end up having a great summer and are very sad when they have to leave. They keep their necklaces in remeberance of the fun time they had at Camp Wiggin. This book taught me to appreciate life and to make the best of it. It is a good book to read if you are looking to learn a life lesson.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty good book
Review: This book was pretty good. It teaches you that you should respect one another's differences, and just have fun. It's about a boy in his teenage years who gets a job as a camp counselor. He's just looking for an easy way to get some money. He figures he will just be playing sports, swimming, and hiking all summer...and then he met the campers. Spider is a boy with no arms or legs. Benny is a boy with polio who needs a wheelchair. Arid is a boy with no bladder who uses a wheelchair. Martin is a blind boy, and Thomas is extremely frail and needs a wheelchair. The counselor's heart drops as he sees them walk into Camp Wiggin. "There goes my summer," he thought. He barely makes it past the first day; all he did was assist people who can not do anything by themselves. The next day, though, the counselor sees the campers for the people that they really are; Benny is fast, spider can swim and he talks a lot, Martin likes girls, and Arid and Thomas start to become more independent. The group makes acorn necklaces at arts and crafts to show their unity. They end up making necklaces for everyone in camp. The counselor and his campers begin to really bond, and they grow as people. They do fun things with each other; things that they would normally not be able to do like hiking up a mountain or swimming. The campers and the counselors end up having a great summer and are very sad when they have to leave. They keep their necklaces in remeberance of the fun time they had at Camp Wiggin. This book taught me to appreciate life and to make the best of it. It is a good book to read if you are looking to learn a life lesson.

Rating:
Summary: Yes You Can!
Review: This book was short and easy to read. But it has a powerful message. All people, even physically challenged ones, can accomplish great things. They can surprise many people, even those who work closely with them. This book inspires, even today, 20 years later. It helped change our attitudes.