We'll Paint the Octopus Red

Title: We’ll Paint the Octopus Red

Author: Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen

Genre: Disabilities

Summary: As six-year-old Emma anticipates the birth of her new baby brother or sister, she vividly imagines all of the things they can do together. Emma feels ready to be a big sister! Then when the baby is born, her dad tells her that it's a boy and he has something called Down syndrome. Finally she asks, "If Isaac has this Down thing, then what can't he do?” Her dad thinks about it, and then tells her that as long as they are patient with him, and help him when he needs it, there probably isn't anything Isaac can't do. In this touching story, Emma helps her father as much as he helps her to realize that Isaac is the baby they dreamed of. The book concludes with a set of commonly asked questions about Down syndrome with answers for children and how it might affect their sibling and family.

Characters: Emma, Isaac

Plot: N/A

Theme: Disabilities

Opinion: I really enjoyed reading this book because it’s difficult to deal with situations where someone close to you has a disability. This is a good book to read to a classroom if there is someone who has a sibling with a disability because it will get them comfortable with the topic.