Customer Reviews

Little People: Learning to See the World Through My Daughter's Eyes

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For once we have a book which is extremely positive and respectful to people of Short Stature. It has to appeal to both small statured people and ESPECIALLY to parents of small statured children. Reading Dan's account of his own daughter's trauma (and his own!) in her early years, makes one appreciate life!

He then develops a book, second to none, about all manner of issues related to dwarfism, both now and in history.

It HAS to be a book for everyone to read! Gripping from beginning to end, and at the end, the reader can't help but be extremely well informed about Small Statured People.

Dan has a winner on his hands, which HAS to be on everyone's "Must Have" list for Christmas!

Well done Dan, and good luck to all who read this book!

A well-written and interesting look at the human side of dwarfism, including dwarfism's repercussions to the individual and family members. Author Dan Kennedy has made a concerted effort to include as many facets of dwarfism as possible, things that others can never know without reading a book like this. This book is not just for little people themselves and families involved with dwarfism, but doctors and other healthcare professionals, teachers, therapists, and anyone interested in learning more about the strength of the human spirit. A very engaging and worthwhile book!

In 1992 Dan and Barbara Kennedy felt they owned the world with the birth of their first daughter. However, that realm is rocked when the doctor informs the couple that their daughter Becky suffers from achondroplasia, the most commonly known form of dwarfism. The good news is that the child will have a normal life span and intelligence. Once the shock passes, the couple showered their beloved firstborn with love and encouragement.

Besides the reaction and insight into how Becky sees the world, the author researched dwarfism past and present and explains quite succinctly the distinction between various types of dwarfism. In an ironic twist from what one would expect Mr. Kennedy also makes a poignant somewhat emotional argument against genetic cleansing eliminating many of these "differences" outside the acceptable mainstream of society. He feels diversity should be honored and included for the better good of all. Not everyone will agree with the author out of concern for the individual, but Mr. Jenkins fears homogeny may go too far for society as a whole.

Parts warning, parts loving and nurturing, and parts historical, LITTLE PEOPLE: LEARNING TO SEE THE WORLD THROUGH MY DAUGHTER'S EYES is a powerful angst-laden social treatise inside a tender family journal.

Harriet Klausner

Dans book is a must read for anyone with an interest in Dwarfism, be it a family member, friend or collegue or just a general interest. There is something for everyone, the heartfelt journey of Dan`s daughter, Becky as she spends her early years hooked to machines due to her achondroplasia and her growth into a young woman continues throughout, and inbetween the reader is introduced to other topics relating to dwarfism including the history of dwarfism, the Little People of America, Medical Doctors, Religious questioning to name a few.
I found it hard to put the book down once I had started to read it. As an average height parent with a child with achondroplasia myself I found the book a very valuable read and I learnt a lot, the book also leads the way for further research if one so wishes.

One month ago I bought this book here on Amazon and it was my intention to keep it on the bookshelf gathering dust until semester break when it would be my reading material for the flight home. I briefly cracked it open & thought I could peek at the opening paragraph just to get a sense of the book then put it down. WRONG! It sucked me in and for the next 2 days I ignored all my classwork in order to finish it. Without an ounce of hyperbole this is the best book about dwarfs & dwarfism, our community and our history I have read. It is well written, interesting, informative, and respectful but without ever inching towards the "Super-Crip" mentality so many books about people of difference tend to fall into.

This is a wonderful book and I encourage everyone to read it. When finished, I encourage people to pass it onto others who know nothing about dwarfism in order to teach people of our history. To those in school, pass it onto your office of students with disabilities and the professors who teach classes in multicultural issues. I hope that someday Becky will realize this is a love letter her father has written to and about her.

I love this book, As a parent of a 14 month old boy with dwarfism, recently adopted from Liberia ( not yet home unfortunately) I've been trying to learn and read as much as I can about dwarfism. This is the first and only book ( so far)I've read on the subject. It is so well written and I love how he goes from his own personal story to many other personal stories of people with dwarfim.
Although I do not agree with his implied view of God and Biblical religion, I find his thoughts insightful and thought provoking. I have bought 2 more of these books to give as gifts this year.
Thank you Dan Kennedy!

I have not identified more with an author as I have with Dan Kennedy. As a little person, I found that Dan was right on the mark in his documentation of the way society view little people. His historical details also covered a wide range of societies treatment of dwarfs, from the dwarfs who were respected and admired in ancient times, to the chilling horrors of WWII Germany.

I found Dan Kennedy's story about the joys and challenges of his daughter's life to be honest, compelling and thought-provoking.

It's one thing to be born into a minority group with the support of a family that has had the same experiences. But Kennedy has the unique task of helping his daughter navigate her way through a world that sees her much differently than it sees him.

At its heart, this is about the hopes, fears, and anxieties that come with raising children. Like any father, Kennedy worries about Becky's future, about her place in the world. As the parent of a dwarf, he also has to learn about life-threatening illnesses and physical limitations, deal with the health-care bureaucracy, and respond to the awkward questions of strangers. In the end, he writes, "What's truly meaningful is to be the best parent you can be."

But this is more than simply a memoir about parent and child. I like the way Kennedy alternates chapters about Becky with a history of dwarfism, genetic testing and how society's attitude toward the disabled has evolved. We meet other little people and learn their life stories in a very engaging, conversational way. As Kennedy says, the disabled "are perhaps the last group to embrace its difference as a source of empowerment, even pride ..."

Little People is totally captivating and will stay with you long after you've finished it.

I love the book, I am still reading it. I love that Dan included his thoughts and his experiences. I also truly enjoy all of the history he included on dwarves in history. I am learning so much by reading this book. He covered many areas. I am reading it slowly just to catch all that he has said. I can read a page and then reread it and grasp so much more. I am very happy to add this to my collection of books on dwarfism and novels about little people. Thank you Dan! : )