New picture book tells siblings of kids with disabilities "You're not alone"

CHICAGO, Oct. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Author Jessica Leving remembers clearly the night her brother, Billy, was diagnosed with autism. She was eight years old, and recalls coming home from school to find her mom crying in her room with the door closed. It was days before anyone would tell her why.

"Everything was different after Billy's diagnosis," says Leving. "Our lives started revolving around his doctor appointments and therapy sessions. It was all very hard for me to understand at that age."

Now an adult, Leving has written and published a picture book geared toward helping other young siblings feel less alone--and even discover the joy in their special sibling relationships. "Special Siblings: Growing up with a sibling who has special needs" is now available on Amazon.com in both paperback and Kindle format.

"It's normal for kids to feel confused and frustrated when a sibling has challenges that are hard to understand," says Leving. "Beyond the logistical and scheduling changes that often take over the household, there are also a whirlwind of emotions. My hope is that this book will help young siblings see themselves and their feelings represented in a simple, easy to understand picture book."

"What I especially like is that though this is written by the sibling of a person with a disability, it demonstrates that the sibling relationship isn't much changed by the fact that one of the individuals has a disability. All of the same emotions and experiences that occur between typical siblings also occurs between those who have some differences," says Ellen Garber Bronfeld, whose son has autism.

"The loving and honest portrayal of Jessica and Billy's life together will let other children know they are not alone," added Suzanne Aaron, an Amazon reviewer. "While there may be frustrations, there is also lots of love."

Though the book is geared toward children 3-8, siblings of all ages seem to finding that the message still resonates.

"I enjoyed reading the book and realizing I'm not alone," said Carmi, another Amazon reviewer. "Thank you for writing this book."

"Special Siblings: Growing up with a sibling who has special needs" is available at: https://www.amazon.com/Special-Siblings-Growing-sibling-special/dp/1686677324/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8. For more information, e-mail [email protected].

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SOURCE Jessica Leving