Sinful Book Reviews

Disclosure: I received a DRC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read a couple of books by Vanita Oelschlager before. At first, I was a little reluctant because she publishes under a kind of vanity press. That is, she runs her own indie publishing company whose books are mainly written by her. However, a closer look shows that she collaborates with several talented illustrators an graphic designers to come up with beautiful, well-packaged books. Also, the proceeds go to a clinic for Multiple Sclerosis. What I’ve learned in my quick research or the author and reading her books is that she knows what she’s doing, she puts out good material, and she’s doing it all with a very good cause in mind. Plus, the cover of Knees just looks so cute. I had to read it.

A young boy struggles with his dyslexia. He has a hard time in class and makes him feel different. His parents tell him about other people with dyslexia who did all kinds of things. He’s uplifted and seeks a hobby he might be good at. When he finds that he’s good at basketball, he earns the respect of other kids. His boosted self-esteem helps him improve in other areas too.

This book made me so happy. It’s so uplifting. I immediately felt for the boy in the story. I wanted to give him a hug. When he finds out he’s good at basketball, his self-esteem goes through the roof. I think that’s the wonderful thing about extracurricular activities and hobbies. Sometimes, all we need is a little confirmation that we’re good at something, even if it’s not math or science. I know band helped me a lot throughout high school. I also really loved that his mother told him he may find other things he’s good at too. It sends a really good message that his parents still push him to succeed. So many times, parents tend to hold their children back because of their learning disabilities (or other disabilities). I think this is an important book, and I’m really glad it’s out there. The art is great. The illustrators at VanitaBooks always put out good stuff, but this has been my favorite. I hope there are more good things to come from this group.

I recommend this book to readers ages 6+.