Younger children are normally puzzled when they encounter other kids who suffer from Down's Syndrome. Here is a heartwarming and reassuring story of how an ordinary little boy comes to understand and befriend a child who has Down's Syndrome. These sensitively written stories encourage preschool-age and early-grades children to explore their feelings, deal with problems that trouble them, and understand others who have problems of their own. Each title speaks to a particular concern that children might encounter in the course of growing up. All books in this series have appealing color illustrations on every page, and are available in both English and Spanish language editions. A short section at the back of each book offers related advice to parents.

School Library Journal Gr 1-3 In Brother , a boy is embarrassed by his sibling's behavior at school. Luckily Billy's brother has a thoughtful teacher who takes the time to educate her students about what it means to have autism, its typical behaviors, and why Billy got upset. When introduced by a caring and knowledgeable adult, this text will be useful. Friend introduces an unnamed camper who gets to know Tammy, a child with Down syndrome. While the girl's narrative is generally engaging, some parts are patronizing and employ stereotypes, and the story does not make clear that Down syndrome has a wide range of manifestations. For example, the camp counselor asks the narrator to be a special friend to Tammy, who is arriving a week after everyone else. She explains that Tammy will be slow and will need extra assistance, especially with the talent show, without knowing anything about her. It turns out that Tammy is outgoing and able to participate in the show but needs help with sports activities. In both books, the pictures and scenarios are appropriate for primary-grade children, but the texts are written at a slightly higher level. Notes to parents emphasize the need to help siblings of children who are autistic (Brother ), and explain that it is often difficult to predict how much a person with Down syndrome can achieve (Friend ).-Wendy Smith-D'Arezzo, Loyola College, Baltimore, MD