We'll Paint the Octopus Red

I bought this book while pregnant because I'm sure that someday my daughter will have questions about her big brother who has Down syndrome. I'm hoping that this book will help both of them understand why when the day comes that she is able to do things that he hasn't learned yet. Being only 23 months apart, I felt the need to be prepared as soon as possible. This is a beautiful book that very sweetly explains that delays don't mean that someone will never be able. I like the fact that this book doesn't dwell on the negatives of a Down syndrome diagnosis, but also includes the idea that Mom & Dad may be sad. I hope that my daughter someday cherishes the book and why I bought it for her.

Six year old Emma isn't very happy about the idea of having a new brother or sister but when Emma and her dad start thinking of all the things that they can do with the new baby, Emma becomes excited at the prospect of being a big sister. When her dad comes home and tells Emma that her new brother, Isaac, has Down syndrome, Emma worries that he won't be able to do any of the fun things that she has imagined. As Emma and her dad think back over all the things they wanted to do with the new baby, they realize together that as long as they are patient and helped him when he needed it, there wasn't anything he couldn't do. This is a reassuring story for young children bewildered by Down syndrome and what it means for their relationship with their new sibling. This is truly a wonderful story. Your child will ask you why you are crying after you read it to them. Of all the books for this age group, this book is by far the best.

I originally purchased We'll Paint the Octopus Red to help me explain Down Syndrome to my older daughter when my younger daughter was born: the whys and how comes the little one needed more attention. The story is simply told. The only child will now become an older child. She and her younger sibling will have so much fun together, her dad advises. But on the day that the baby is born, the dad is sad and tells his daughter that the baby has Down Syndrome. The daughter, in her innocence, carefully reviews all the plans that her dad said she could do with her baby brother. After each example, the dad advises that they could still do the activity with a little patience. Slowly, the daughter teaches the dad and the reader that children with Down Syndrome can do almost anything with love, patience, understanding and the opportunity to try. The book not only gave guidance to my husband and me, but also was helpful in breaking down old stereotypes and ideas held by our parents.

I bought this book for my 6 year old niece who has a younger sister with Down Syndrome. So far everyone she has shown this book to has bought it.It's a wonderful book and I still can't get through it without crying. Such a simple and compassionate story about a little girl understanding the differences in her brother with down syndrome. A story that involves her father explaining down and a child's simple understanding that her new brother can still do the same things.

WE'LL PAINT THE OCTOPUS RED WAS A WONDERFUL BOOK. MY SON HAS DOWNS SYNDROME. HE IS NOW 18 HE ENJOYED READING THE BOOK. HE READ IT TO 3 CHILDERN WHO HAVE A BROTHER 7 MONTHS OLD WHO HAS DOWNS SYNDROME. I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE AS CONSERNED AS EMMA.THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL BOOK.