See Me, Not My Disability

Author Melissa Hart, was inspired by the determination of her brother Mark who did not let a genetic disorder define his life. Down Syndrome Out Loud lets the reader see twenty determined individuals as successful people, not merely as someone who is disabled. Each of the twenty people featured in this biographical anthology overcame the health issues, educational and social hurdles that often prevent someone with Down Syndrome from thriving. These people had the advocacy of loving family and early access to support programs that helped them reach their potential. They have gone on to become actors, advocates, artists, athletes, dancers, entrepreneurs, models, musicians, public speakers and teachers. Each four page spread is accompanied by a great portrait by illustrator Maria Perera. The book also highlights fantastic support programs for individuals who are developmentally disabled. There are sections on the Special Olympics, Best Buddies, and National Down Syndrome society.

This book can provide inspiration and references for anyone who has Down Syndrome. It provides a window for anyone who has a family member, friend, classmate or team member with the condition, hopefully helping them see the person instead of the disability.

4/5⭐️

I absolutely loved Down Syndrome Out Loud by Melissa Hart. One of my favorite things about this book is how it dedicates individual pages to different people with Down syndrome, telling each of their unique stories about how they’ve built successful, fulfilling lives. I found it so inspiring to follow along with their journeys—each story is like a little window into their world, and I loved learning all the different ways they shine.

As someone who loves a young person with Down syndrome, this book gave me a lot of hope for her future. Seeing how these 24 people have each found their path, overcome challenges, and pursued their passions makes me feel excited about what’s possible for her too.

The book also does a great job teaching about Down syndrome in a way that’s clear and approachable, making it an excellent read for people who may not know much about it yet. I really appreciated that—it’s a great way to spread awareness and understanding.

I also loved how the book highlights groups and events that people with Down syndrome and other disabilities can get involved in. It shows that there are so many different ways to be part of a community, and that’s really encouraging to see.

One thing that surprised me (in the best way!) is that I only recognized two of the 24 people featured in the book. That meant I got to learn about so many new people, and I’m now following a bunch of them on Instagram to keep up with their lives and see where they go from here. I’m really excited to continue learning from them and watching their stories unfold.

Overall, Down Syndrome Out Loud is an incredible, uplifting read that I’d recommend to anyone—whether you know someone with Down syndrome or just want to be inspired by stories of resilience, creativity, and joy

A great resource showcasing the strengths and possibilities of the DS population for the young middle grade reader.

This biography collection is beyond needed in our libraries! I loved the variety and scope of people who were included - everyone from actors to activists. I think this book belongs in every collection. It was very informative and had me looking up more about those who were included. Down Syndrome is very underrepresented in media so I was very excited that Sourcebooks let me read this book early.

I love this book! I am a parent of a 21-year-old daughter with Down syndrome. How I wish this book was available when I received my daughter's prenatal diagnosis! It would have helped me see that I could still have the same hopes and dreams for my daughter as I would any other child. And it would have shown me examples of how to support my child with Down syndrome and her dreams. I am also a public speaker and give disability awareness presentations to students. I can't wait to introduce children to this book! The stories about each individual are interesting and inspiring, and are careful to include the challenges along with the accomplishments. The writing entertains the reader and allows for children to understand and read the passages independently, but the book will also make a great read-aloud and conversation-starter in any classroom. The additional resources at the end are so helpful, and I can see many readers being inspired to get involved.

This collection of short biographies of individuals with Down Syndrome fills a gap in our collection. It would be nice to share with families that include someone with Down Syndrome, or to educate children who don't know much about Down Syndrome to help them be more accepting. It would've been nice to have two different drawings or one photograph and one drawing of the individuals.

I also liked the timeline and other info at the end.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

i feel extremely privileged to be the first on goodreads to review this book.
this was an informative middle grade book where i learned about many people with down syndrome with a variety of unique life stories.
thank you to netgalley, author, melissa hart, and sourcebooks kids for this epub- i had some errors in the book but had some formatting issues within the book more of which i shared with the site privately. i am not sure if it is how i accessed (kindle). the words were fabulous but there were moments were i struggled. there are profiles of down syndrome folk in modeling, acting, writing, and much more.

Absolutely loved this. Our daughter was born with down syndrome and absolutely loved this book. I can't wait to show her this book once she gets older and I love that I can share this with her older siblings too. Its a great way to show that individuals with down syndrome can do so much more and I love this so much.

This book was wonderful for showing how amazing Down Syndrome is. As someone that works in special education, this book would be a wonderful addition to a general education class’s morning meeting to help them learn more about their classmate that isn’t always with them. I would love to add this to my classroom library when it comes out!