Books We Recommend:

I Am Potential, by Patrick Henry Hughes with Patrick John Hughes and Bryant Stanford.  Patrick Henry Hughes was born with an extremely rare genetic disorder: arms that could not straighten, legs that would never be able to walk, and permanent blindness. He had been born with no eyes. Simply and candidly written, this book is not only the story of Patrick Henry’s remarkable life, but of the bond between father and son. It is also a guide for those who seek to live their own life more meaningfully each day—demonstrating how with faith, perseverance, and unconditional love, almost anything is possible to achieve.

A Singular View:  The Art of Seeing With One Eye, by Frank Brady.  Recommended by Clyde Andrews of the Artifical Eye Clinic of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia.  Clyde e-mailed our MAPS group to recommend a book he thought many of our families might be interested in. (from our Winter 2007-08 newsletter)

Get a Wiggle On, by Sherry Raynor & Richard Drouillard.  A Guide for Helping Visually Impaired Children Grow.  This is a real basic book for parents of infants who are blind or visually impaired with suggestions for assisting development from birth to the walking stage.  There is also a sequel by the same authors called Move It .  This book contains suggestions for assisting the development of preschool children who are blind or visually impaired from walking to school entrance age. Recommended by MAPS mom Michelle.

Independent Movement and Travel in Blind Children: A Promotion Model, by Joe Cutter.  This book is highly recommended by Carol Castellano, parent of a braille reader, author, President and co-founder of Parents of Blind Children-NJ, an affiliate of National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. 

Just Enough to Know Better - A Braille Primer, by Eileen P Curran.  Published by the National Braille Press, www.nbp.org.  This is a guide for parents to learn braille.  Very easy to follow.  Recommended by MAPS mom Michelle.

My Path Leads to Tibet: The Inspiring Story of How One Young Blind Woman Brought Hope to the Blind Children of Tibet, by Sabriye Tenberken.  Great role model.  A story about a blind girl in her 20's who traveled to Tibet to start a blind school there.

My Fake Eye.  The Story of My Prosthesis, by Nancy Chernus-Mansfield and Marilyn Horn.  (from the website) Full color photographs and a clear, calm, matter-of-fact presentation make this book a very useful and comforting tool for the child as well as parents and siblings of children who have had or will be having an eye enucleated.  Recommended by MAPS mom Michelle.

Parenting Preschoolers:  Suggestings for Raising Young Blind and Visually Impaired Children, by Kay Alicyn Ferrell.   (from website) This primer provides practical answers to the questions most frequently asked by parents and gives advice on what to expect, how to adapt to the child's situation and needs, and what to look for in early education programs.

The Bridge to Braille, by Carol Castellano.  (from back cover)  The Bridge to Braille is a parctical, step-by-step guide that will show parents and teachers how to help blind children progress from early literacy experiences all the way to full participation in the classroom.  Recommended by MAPS mom Michelle.  

The Family of Owen M., by Erin Flaherty, Allison Hawkins, and Stephanie Heaton.  "Learn everyday things about orientation and mobility" in this lighthearted, illustrated book about a blind boy named Owen M. and his family. A perfect tool to teach classmates, parents, and friends of blind children how O&M helps Owen travel around his house, in stores, and outside.   Recommended by MAPS mom Michelle. 

Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man's Journey to Climb Farther Than the Eye Can See, by Erik Weihenmayer.  Very inspirational. 

Books by Tom Sullivan:

Adventures in Darkness: Memoirs of an Eleven-Year-Old Blind Boy
If You Could See What I HearSeeing Lessons: 14 Life Secrets I've Learned Along the Way

Leading Lady: Dinah's Story by Tom Sullivan & Betty White, the story of one of his guide dogs.

Additional Highly Recommended Books:

No Limits: Legendary Blind Athlete Leads the Way to New
Horizons, by Harry c. Cordellos

Planet of the Blind, by Stephen Kuusito

Eavesdropping: A Memoir of Blindness and Listening, by Stephen Kuusito

The Blind Doctor: The Jacob Bolotin Story, by Rosalind Perman

The Story of My Life, by  Helen Keller

Helen and Teacher, by Joseph P Lash, a biography about Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan

A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man became History's Greatest Traveler, by Jason Roberts, about James Holman, who lived in the early 1800's.

Lessons I Learned in the Dark, by Jennifer Rothschild, a
inspirational book by an author who went blind at age 15.

Corridors of Light, by Eleanore Brown, an autobiography of a
blind woman from the early half of the century.

White Coat, White Cane, by David Hartman, story of a man blind since age 8 who went through medical school to become a psychiatrist.

Inner Vision-the Story of the World's Greatest Blind Athlete, by Craig MacFarlane

A Girl's Best Friend, by Harriet May, a kids story about a blind
girl and her dog, attitudes she faces, and how she works through them.

Music of Silence, by Andrea Bocelli, autobiography of the famous blind Italian tenor.

Light a Single Candle, by Beverly Butler, The story is fictional about a young girl who goes blind in High school.  Beverly Butler is a blind author. 

MAPS 

Newsletters 

Click on an issue below to download a free pdf copy

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Fall 2009 issue:

Articles include using person-first language;  a family story about moving; an article on most vs least restrictive school environments; a research study from Johns Hopkins; and a review of the book A Look Into Our "i's"

Spring 2009 issue:

Articles include using music to teach blind/VI chidren; interview with the mom of a teen with unilateral anophthalmia; teaching manners to blind/VI children; resources for braille books; book announcement for The Sight Sickness by Christine Faltz Grassman, who has bilateral microphthalmia; and a photo gallery of MAPS kids in action.

Winter 2009 issue:

Articles include experiences with prosthetic eyes; music therapy; two teens with bilateral anophthalmia attending Space Camp for the Visually Impaired; one family's experiences with technology; questions answered by TVI Lisa LaDue; and a children's book about a dog named San, who has bilateral anophthalmia.

Fall 2008 issue:

Siblings Issue, with three articles related to issues affecting siblings of children with microphthlmia and/or anophthalmia; a request for Christmas ornaments made by the blind/VI for the "Artful Tree"; book announcement for "I Am Potential" by Patrick Henry Hughes (bilateral anophthalmia); "Families Connecting with Families" conference information for July 2009.

Summer 2008  issue:

A Special Advocacy Issue, this newsletter contains articles on Parents Advocating for Their Children and Children Learning to Advocate for Themselves, and Article on IEP strategies, a parent's perspective  article titled "Mommy vs. Early Interventionist", and a letter to parents from an adult with bilateral microphthalmia.

Spring 2008 issue:

Articles focusing on education including teaching sign language to blind children, transitioning to preschool, articles with general ed. teachers with a blind child in their classroom, and Q&A with TVI Lisa LaDue. 

Winter 2007 issue:

Articles include: Everything you need to know for the holidays, including activites, gifts, recipes, and websites for enjoying the holidays with a blind/VI child. "Derek-My Old Soul" (unilateral micro). Hughes family selected for Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Q & A with Ocularist Walter T. Tillman. 

Fall 2007 - Premier Issue

Articles include: "Your Baby has Anophthalmia"; "We call him AJ (bilateral micro); "Ella's Story" (bilateral anoph); Update on Dupont case settlement; Q & A with adult John Pitzen (bilateral anoph.).