Customer Reviews

Gifted Hands, Kids Edition: The Ben Carson Story (ZonderKidz Biography)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

You don't have to come from a privileged background to be a success in life. Ben Carson is living proof of that. Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, written by Greg and Deborah Shaw Lewis, is the story of this brilliant and renowned pediatric neurosurgeon who works at John Hopkins Hospital.

Ben was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1951. When he was eight years old, his parents divorced, leaving his mother to care for Ben and his younger brother, Curtis, by herself. Their mother had to work several jobs to make enough money to provide for her small family. Times were tough and the family had to move around several times in order for them to survive.

This meant Ben and his brother had to change schools several times in their young lives. After a move to Boston, Ben and his brother went to a small, private school in Detroit, where they both did well and were ahead of most of their classmates. But, after the family moved back to Detroit, the boys discovered their previous education had been inadequate and they were behind most of the other students in their classes. This led to teasing and tormenting from them, and Ben was called the "class dummy." He almost let that defeat him.

But, he developed an interest in science, and was fascinated by rocks. He read everything he could get his hands on about the subject. When his science teacher brought in a rock, a piece of obsidian, Ben was the only student in the class who could identify it. Ben, and his teachers, discovered that Ben had a special aptitude for learning, especially when he read about something. He used his love of reading, and his special talent for learning by reading, to eventually excel in his studies, not only in grade school and high school, but also in college. Ben went on to be a neurosurgeon and has become the leader in his field.

In telling Ben's story, the author touches on the issues divorce and single-parenting, as well as racism that Ben had to deal with growing up. But, Ben was raised by a Christian mother who taught her boys the love of God and the desire to live a good Christian life. The underlying theme throughout the book was Ben's reliance on God and his belief that God wanted him to be a doctor.

What I Like: Everything. This is a truly inspiring story. Even though it was written for children, I very much enjoyed reading it. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I want to read more about this incredible man.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Christine M. Irvin - Christian Children's Book Review

I got this book to inspire to 10 nephew to reach his goals. He's not an avid reader but thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This book is one that I highly recommend for an upper elementary student or higher. Dr. Carson was the only African American child in his fifth grade, and the "dumbest." His mother, who worked as a domestic, noticed that books were very prominent in the homes where she worked, rather than television. She began requiring Ben and his older brother to read two books each week from the public library and writing book reports to her. She also limited television to only certain programs each week, for a small time limit. Ben was also required by her to finally memorize the multipliction tables. His scores in math improved, and in all his school subjects. He graduated third in his class, went to Yale, and eventually became the head of Johns Hopkins Pediatric Surgery.
His mother's faith in God and his own personal faith are highlighted in his story.
Dr. Carson has written several books and is highlighted in the movie, "Gifted Hands."

Excellent book that I was told about by an 11-year-old girl who read it as a school assignment. Very inspiring book for youth.

This is a very good book. I really like it and I hope to share this book to my friends. Have a nice day.

This is a great book, with great morals. I made it required reading for my students. Good for parents who think their children are destined to fail just because of their social and economic backgrounds.

This book was great! I bought it for my 8 year old son. He had to complete a book report for school. This is such a wonderful story, I thought it would be great for my son. He could not keep his nose out of the book. He can tell you anything you want to know about Ben Carson. He has told all his friends about this book. He was told by his classmates he had the best book report of all!! What a wonderful book for African Americans especially African American boys!!

I can't quite recall how I first became acquainted with Dr. Benjamin Carson's story. What I do remember is that my daughter (who is now in medical school) first read his autobiography when she was about 9 years old. Yes, I'm sure she'd agree that it was Dr. Carson's story which inspired her initial awe at the idea of excising the human brain. I'm just not sure this diluted biographical rendering would have had the same impact.

My young daughter didn't need a sanitized, "white-washed" version of Carson's story. In fact, there is something to be said for gritty detail--though the original contains little grit. So, then the question becomes, for what reason was the story rewritten? I'm not understanding why a story which was so very compelling would be altered so that it becomes less potent. For whatever reason, it fails to do justice to the heart and soul of the first.

Oh, the facts are all corroborated by the autobiography. It just doesn't read with the same degree of passion. There is a visceral experience to be had between the covers of the original. It is one which affirms the normalcy of each and every child who's ever experienced divorce. It validates the accompanying anger and other emotional turmoil. It suggests to them that in spite of the failings of one's beloved parents-- survival and triumph are still possible. This is an extremely important "moral of the story" for African-American children who (due largely to racism in all its complexity)have few so-called "successful" role models (of their own ethnicity)who are TRULY worthy of emulation.

Another thing, Dr. Carson was not merely "one of the world's most brilliant surgeons" as the back of the book announces. He, in fact, established himself (during the infancy of his career) as THE premiere pediatric neurosurgeon. He was THE "go to" MAN where are things pediatric neurosurgery were concerned. He took on surgery cases other doctors wouldn't touch with a 10 ft. --well, you get my drift.

I apologize for my unabashed praise of Ben Carson. Afterall, he impresses me as an extremely humble man who would never protest in the face of the wholesale marginalization he's suffered. He distinguished himself, in this regard, while in medical school when he "discovered" an easier way of locating the hole at the base of the skull called the formamen ovale. Rather than take a pompous attitude and risk alienating his veteran professors, he found a less threatening approach to revealing his new technique to them. He also never fails to join the parents of his little patients in prayer before God Almighty prior to each and every surgery--choosing to acknowledge Our Creator as the Author of all Decrees.

I'm sort of hedging at my major source of annoyance though. I can't quite understand how the Lewis's (a caucasian couple) came to decide they were qualified to reinterpret Dr. Carson's story. For sure, on one level-- it's simply another one for the annals of human experience. On the other hand, his early life was rife with episodes of racism common to the lives of most African-Americans. To say the minefield of racism is sometimes difficult to navigate is an understatement. Therefore, to assume one is equipped to convey the nuances of life with racism (from the outside looking in) is a bit arrogant. I can't help wondering how many African-American writers have ever been given the opportunity to rewrite the stories of prominent caucasians-- doctors or other professionals. I can't name one. In fact, uh, well...another subject for another day.

I chose this book for my 7th grader to read for a school assignment. It was an enjoyable read, showing how someone can overcome any obstacle in their life and still be successful if you work hard enough and are motivated to make challenging goals for yourself. It had some good lessons for children. However, the further you get into the book, much focus is directed into Dr. Carson's belief that God is the power he requires to survive and be a success. This is the only reason I gave it 4 stars, rather than 5.

The story continues describing how much faith is placed on how he uses prayer to guide him through his life and it's challenges. Although the book is about Dr. Carson, his struggles, his successes, and how God leads him, for people who do not share the belief that there is an ultimate, invisible higher power, it loses some of the impact it had early on, especially for people who do not have such strong religious convictions. The first half of the book portrayed positive messages my son picked up on, but as it progressed, he lost interest in the story. Rather than describe the reality that we all must use our own inner strong will to get through life's pitfalls, and it is up to us alone to guide us through, it gives the impression that "God" had a huge hand in his success. It was an interesting review of Dr. Carson, but I was disappointed in how it focused on his religious beliefs to pull him along, beliefs not all of us share or could do.