Coming soon from eFitzgerald... available in print and in eformat

Hello and welcome to our book's blog. How David Met Sarah is the story of a young man with Down Syndrome who falls in love with a young woman with autism. What makes How David Met Sarah different from any of my previous work is that I wrote the book for my youngest brother. He is 36 and has Down Syndrome.
I wrote How David Met Sarah with two goals in mind: to give my brother a story he could read and enjoy on his own, as well as one that had a hero with which he could identify. Like the main character in the story, my brother lives at home with his parents, works in a mail room and has even been in love.
I didn't intend to publish the story at first. My brother loved the initial chapters, and that was enough to encourage me to complete it. But one day I needed a sample manuscript to use at a writing workshop. The only work in progress I had to share was this one. I used the opening chapters in the workshop, and the response was so positive, I was encouraged to share the story with everyone.
How David Met Sarah is a story that is not only accessible to those with developmental disabilities, but also offers insight into what it's like to live with such a disability. My brother and I hope everyone enjoys it. Thanks for stopping by....Annie Kelleher (and David Kelly)

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

From a homeschooling parent....

My friend, Stacie, who homeschools her son, read How David Met Sarah and decided to assign it as a reading book:   

"I think it is the responsibility of every parent to introduce their children to a wide variety of life experiences. Different people, places, cultures, ideas, etc. in the hopes that their children will become kind, loving, understanding, and tolerant adults. As a homeschool parent, it's an even greater responsibility, as my son may not come into contact with as many people as the average schooled child. We don't have any friends or family members with Down Syndrome, so I asked my son to read How David Met Sarah, hoping it would allow him to see that people who may seem different on the outside, really aren't that different on the inside."

And this is what Stacie's 12 year old son, Levi, had to say after he read it:

"I really enjoyed your book. It did keep my attention and was interesting. It also improved my understanding of people with disabilities. The only thing that I saw that was different between David and any other person was that he needed a schedule and that he lived with his parents and needed their help a lot. David and most people seem to not be that different. They have the same wants and feelings and fears that we do, but usually just act a little different. I know very few people with disabilities so I can't say too much but, I have been a little nervous about what to say or if I will say the wrong thing to them. But the book helped me to understand that they aren't that different and are like normal people, so I should just talk to them like anyone else. To an everyday 7th grader its almost too easy to read, but my mom told me that it's written for a 3rd grade level."

Thank you, Stacie and Levi!


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