Emily’s Sister – Review

“EMILY’S SISTER”

A Family’s Journey with Dyspraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

by Michele Gianetti (Author)
and Tanja Russita (Illustrator)
Publishers: Explainer HQ

Based upon a real life experience, written by a parent of a child with Dyspraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder and it focuses on Emily, the sister of the child with Dyspraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder and how she wants to help her sister live a happier life.

Overall it a very realistic and hopeful book, very much acknowledging what it would be like to grow up with a sister who presents some challenges at home, but also is very loving and interesting to be around.

The book starts when Elizabeth is a very young child, talks about her diagnosis, talks about how her parents tried to make sense of the diagnosis with her sister Emily and the importance of therapy in relation to the Dyspraxia.

It is a positive book that I would definitely recommend. I had 2 nit picking “criticisms”. One the spelling of mum, ‘mom’ which I think will be picked up by some individuals, but also Sensory Processing Disorder is actually not within the diagnostic criteria, while Sensory Sensitivities are acknowledged in both Dyspraxia and Autism Spectrum Disorder, it isn’t actually a diagnosis in its own right, although many people are receiving it. This may just be a little bit confusing to parents if people are not willing to give this as a diagnosis.

As I say, these are nit picks in the context of a very good book. The people who would benefit from reading it are, parents, children with developmental difference and siblings of children with developmental difference.