The Bottom Line
Pros
- Well-written full-length children's novel
- Realistic situations and characters
- Lends itself to book groups and discussions
Cons
- Reading level low based on plot
- Parent characters nearly nonexistant
Description
- Hardcover. 243 pages.
- Published by Blooming Tree Press, C 2008
- Appropriate for ages 7 to 14
Guide Review - Book Review: "Knowing Joseph," by Judith Mammay
I really did get caught up in this story of Brian and his autistic brother, Joseph. Brian, who appears to be about 12 years old, tells the story, and his voice is solid and realistic. His descriptions of Joseph, too, are believable. Overall, while Joseph is reminiscent of Cynthia Lord's Newbery-Winning novel Rules, it is by no means derivative. The ending is well-conceived and satisfying (I won't give it away!).That said, the book has a few issues, and I wondered whether some of those issues may be based on the fact that Ms. Mammay is a grandmother and may be unaware of some of today's parental norms. For example, I found myself reading this book and thinking, WHAT? What parent would send their 4th grader to the park WITH his friends and expect him to also babysit his autistic brother? In fact, throughout the book I found myself wondering what the parents were up to and why they seemed to expect young Brian to, in essence, be his brother's full-time keeper.
Another issue I found was the reading level of the book. While it is a full-length novel, it's actually very short, and the word length and plot make it a good read for a second- or- third-grade reader, yet the characters and situations seem to imply a much older reader. On the one hand, the simplicity of the language may expand the readership potential; on the other hand, the situations may make it tough for teachers to know how or when to assign the book.
Knowing Joseph is a fine addition to the "autistic sibling" genre, and I am delighted to recommend it. Parents may need, however, to make it clear that they (unlike Brian's parents) don't expect their autistic child's sibling to act "in loco parentis!"
