Emily Good as Gold

Very touching, vivid story told from a mentally disabled teenage girl's point of view; it's the first of its kind that I've ever read. I love the bond that Emily develops with her new sister-in-law, Phyllis; I liked how Phyllis respected that fact the she was growing up & never talked down to her like so many people make the mistake of doing to mentally disabled people. I'm so glad her parents slowly began to realized that she was growing up & needed more space & independence. The book really delves into the world of the disabled & I like the scenes from the school Emily goes to. What really thrills me is that Emily also learns who can be trusted & who can't; I cheered inside when Emily is able to use her intuition to know not to get into a car with someone she doesn't know well. The book illustrates that yes, the mentally disabled CAN learn the same things others can, they just learn it more slowly & their minds take a little longer to absorb things. I re-read this book right on the heels of a book about Annie Sullivan & Helen Keller; this book is a wonderful addition to the growing proof that more & more handicapped people, whether mental or physical, or leading independent, productive, happy lives.

The book started with the reader learning about Emily, a developmentally delayed child, who only wants to be like other thirteen year old girls her age. You learn about her struggles with trying to be normal. The only downside was you wish she weren't so clueless! This book touched my heart. I recommend it to all teenage girls.