Born Just Right

Gr 4-8--Jordan Reeves is on a mission: she wants people to shift their thinking about disabilities. For Reeves, born a congenital amputee, her limb difference isn't an insurmountable setback. It just means she has to do things differently. Reeves writes about figuring out how to tie her shoes with one hand and a "little arm" and attending occupational therapy to help her learn other life skills. She pushes back against the idea that a limb difference means she can't play sports, swim, or dance. With some out-of-the-box thinking, she believes she can do anything "except monkey bars." She wants other kids to know they can do anything, too. Reeves writes about her experiences at camps for limb-different kids and the power of connecting with people who are different like you. Kids who are interested in 3-D printing and design will appreciate the detailed descriptions of Project Unicorn, the glitter-shooting prosthetic arm she designed, but the real strength of the book is Reeves's perspective on being different, which is positive and inclusive. Reeves's mother, cofounder and executive director of the nonprofit Born Just Right, briefly contributes to the book, adding her perspective about her daughter's journey and what it means to be a parent to a child with a limb difference. VERDICT This title provides a realistic picture of the feelings that accompany being different and may help people understand that disabled isn't a bad word.--Mindy Rhiger, Hennepin County Library, MN