Kathleen McDonnell has written an inspirational narrative about Emily’s remarkable journey to attend school with non-disabled children. What I found fascinating was that Emily’s teachers and students found how much they benefited from her participation in school.

By using a combination of dialogue and narrative, author McDonnell reveals Emily’s personality, her family relationships, and her many accomplishments.

This book is an enjoyable read as it stands. However in the hands of educators and caregivers, its value for children will be greatly enhanced through discussion of the various thought-provoking topics it engenders.

This book offers a unique poignancy, captured in photos and an epilogue written by Emily herself, that comes from its real-life implications and that other resources on the topic often lack. It presents issues of equality, access, and parity in a narrative style that is easily accessible to any child who may be experiencing their own uncertainty with inclusion situations at school.

This excellent biography exposes the reader to the world of living with disabilities and to the advantages of inclusive education for all children.