Knees starts off well explaining dyslexia and how dyslexic brains work and why kids with dyslexia may struggle with tasks that are easy for neurotypical children. Then the book makes a gear shift and turns into a tale about a boy trying to find something he’s good at, which turns out to be basketball and where he is given the nickname “knees” of the book title. This felt like two distinct stories as there wasn’t a good transition or clear tie-in between dyslexia and the need to be really good at something.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this copy.

This is a book about Louis the third. A boy who has dyslexia. I think it's incredible to have literary writings allowing others an insight of how people with dyslexia or other disabilities live.

It's a great lesson and is a good read for many readers both younger and older. We truly will never full understand how people feel in their daily lives feeling like they are different and working 10 times harder to keep up with their peers.

I am really glad I had the opportunity to read this book.

I just loved this book! It's got a great message about dyslexia, but it's also got a great message about finding what you enjoy doing. I loved it! Our main character has dyslexia, and he helps the reader understand what that is and how it impacts his life. He also talks about trying to find something he is good at and enjoys. When he does find it we learn that there's always a chance to find MORE things that we enjoy doing and are good at. I thought it was such a great story. My son and daughter enjoyed this. The illustrations were great, and they perfect for the story!

I would highly recommend this one for any child in preschool through middle elementary.

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

This is a picture book disguised as a chapter book about a boy who has dyslexia and how it affects him. While that part is good, I didn't really like the book overall. First, I did not like how it said dyslexia was a gift, and I would think that most kids who have it would not see it as one. Secondly, his father said he should find something else he was good at. While that is good advice, I didn't like that sports was the alternative, especially one he was instantly good at. Most dyslexics are good at seeing how things connect and identifying similarities so they excel in science, math, and visual representations. That is what should have been highlighted instead of basketball.

Oelschlager has created an optimistic and accessible introductory account of what it is like to experience dyslexia as a child.
The main character, Louis (the Third), is in the fourth grade, and he struggles with every aspect of school. He blames his dyslexia. He explains what dyslexia is and isn't, what it affects, and describes many of his frustrations with it.
With the help of one of his teachers, Louis starts to find the positive parts of his diagnosis. He even finds out that many famous people, both now and throughout history, have also had the same diagnosis. Louis talks through his feelings with his mother since she is the person who understands him the most. We meet his closest friends, who also support him.
One day, Louis notices a talent he has even though he has dyslexia, and it becomes his favorite pastime. He practices and practices until he gets so good at it. In the end, well, you can read to find out!
There are two intentional accessibility features included in physical copies of Knees, one of which also applies to e-book versions. It is presented in the font Lexia Readable, a specially designed font for people with dyslexia. It makes letters and words easier to distinguish even when dyslexia may cause scrambling or incorrect processing. In hard copies, the story is printed on cream-colored paper, which limits both contrast and the ability to see through to what is on the other side. Both of these considerations are simple and not cost-prohibitive ways to be more inclusive of all readers.
This book is based on the true-life story of Lou Salza, the Head of Lawrence School, where the net profits of the book are being donated. In exchange for an honest review, I received an advanced copy courtesy of VanitaBooks, LLC, and NetGalley.com.
"We're all good at something. You just have to find it."

I was expecting something a bit different, but it was cute. I thought there would be some puns and that more of this book would be connected to dyslexia, but no. It was hardy mentioned and not at the center of the "plot". I also didn't get the random change in fonts to make some random words stand out.

As an educator I appreciate books designed to explain learning disabilities and promote self affirming positive practices. The illustrations were nice. The concept of comparing knees to a disability was cute.

I understand why the technique of rhyming is encouraged in children’s books, particularly in a book geared towards children that probably struggle with reading, however when there are missteps in the cadence or what appears to be words thrown in just to make it happen, it can be disconcerting. I admit I am a bit over sensitive on this, so it may not trouble most readers.

I appreciate VanitaBooks and NetGalley allowing me an advanced look at this book in exchange for an honest review. .

Thank you for the opportunity to review a free copy of this book in exchange for honest reviews. I will post them to Goodreads and here.

I think this was a cute book! I really, really enjoyed the illustrations (especially the page where he is shooting hoops and the cute little animals are watching. Too adorable!). I think this is a great message in the book. I have a sibling with dyslexia, so I have seen the frustration and insecurity that this brings in academic settings. The same thing goes with the normal feelings of trying to find something you are interested in and decently skilled in (hobby wise). He tried various things til he found basketball and enjoyed it.

Cute book. Nice illustrations. Easy to read.

Purchased for a younger sibling who thoroughly enjoyed this and has rated on my behalf. Super fun read and super funny. Would recommend to other kids.

Fun, simple, and easy book for kids of all ages. It's a great topic to address, and I could easily read this book to some of the kids I've worked with before. It explains dyslexia well and in a simple way so kids who might have it or know friends who have it can understand why school can be complicated and confusing. I loved the focus on finding something you're good at and practicing, and then using that same skill and dedication to learn something else like reading or math. The art style was fun as well, clean and neat. The excerpt at the end about Lou was interesting, too, to see where Louis was now!

my personal review is that I found this book very interesting as I personally have dyslexia & wasn’t diagnosed till I was 16. I leant a lot from this book and would recommend it to anyone with a young child diagnosed with dyslexia.

This book was a very cute story of a little boy with a reading disability ,dyslexia and he explains the trouble he has but how he overcomes it. THis is a very adorable story I would love to have in my library.

Highly recommend this book for educators to read! It reminded me alot of Fish in A Tree by Lynda Mullay Hunt. I think books like these are so important so that individuals don't feel alone in learning or living with dyslexia. I will be recommending this to other educators and library patrons.

interesting concept to connect dyslexia with knees. I'm just not sure it works. Short story, focusing on finding your other strengths may help some kids, but not everyone.

I enjoy the hope of this title as well as many of the rhyming lines. I appreciate the first person narrative although the storyline confused me when it went beyond the main subject, dyslexia. The drawn images without color are engaging and kept my attention. Overall, I could see this as fun and uplifting for both children and their parents/caregivers. The profiled educator and his endorsement seems to elevate the importance of the book. I was pleased to read about the selected font and how its style and the color of the pages was recommended for those with dyslexia. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-galley.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Vanita Oelschlager, and VanitaBooks LLC for providing Neo and me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

As Neo and I expand our reading horizons, we tried this interesting piece that hit home for both of us. This story is about Louis the Third, a child in the fourth grade who suffers from dyslexia. He explains what that means and how he has to take extra time to overcome some of the hurdles. While school work has him bummed out, Louis discovers something he likes and practices to get better. By the end of the summer, he has mastered it and living with dyslexia is not so bad. A great piece to lift the spirits of anyone with a disability who might need to see the bright side of things.

As we finished this piece, Neo and I were left with some strong sentiments. Neo has some learning hurdles that he has been trying to overcome. While his have been overcome with pacing and some medicine, there are many who likely feel hopeless and have nothing that they can do. This book, told in a rhyming style, shows that things can be good, even if you have to approach them differently. Plus, there is the chance that you will excel in other areas, even if it is not school. Great illustrations kept Neo interested as he understood the struggles Louis had throughout.

Kudos, Madam Oelschlager, for writing to let kids know it is ok to be different.

Thank you NetGalley and VanitaBooks LLC

First of all I’m grateful I successfully downloaded this book for the second time (I failed for my first time due to device problem). Second of all, I knew this will be a great book.

It tells us about a child with dyslexia and it was well written in an easy way, so any children can understand what dyslexia is and how to deal with it in a positive way. I like how the ilustrator put the “bold” words, in order to make it clear what is the good point of this story. Some pages also had “large font” which is same for me, to make it clear what the readers can quote and share it in a daily basis, not just because the person has “special needs”.

This book is wonderful, I’d like to see more of this kind of book with variety of special needs ones (i’.e autism, adhd, etc)

A cute story to teach children about dyslexia. The illustrations were nice and went well with the story. I would read it to my students.

This is a wonderful book to share with children who have dyslexia! It’s about a student named Louis who has dyslexia He describes what it is in very kid friendly terms and how it impacts his life. He struggles at first to find something he’s good at, but once he does, he realizes that dyslexia doesn’t hold him back. A cute and informative book perfect for kids.

I love the cadence of the book, as well as the illustrations. But I feel it was lacking in substance in terms of how Louis actually copes with the dyslexia in school. It kind of seemed like "go find something else to be good at" was the moral of the story, but I don't think that is what was intended. I love the premise, the art, and the feel of the book, just wish it went a little bit deeper.