Customer Reviews

Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog (PBS Kids recommended title)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sandra J. Gerencher addresses many issues in her well-written, entertaining, informative book SECOND CHANCE. Not only is this a tale that deserves wide attention among proponents of animal shelters and readers seeking a degree of understanding of autism, it also stands alone as a beautifully illustrated (by Virginia Cody) book for informing children about the concept of adoption. For this reader this book is one of the finest explanations for sharing the meaning of adoption with youngsters - a definite assist to parents who adopt and are searching for the best way to discuss the topic with their family.

But Gerencher goes further than the usual author of books for children by engaging the reader using a dog's view of the process. The warmly human 'lady' of the story goes to the animal shelter, adopts a German Shepherd/Rottweiler pup that is seemingly unwanted, and takes the pup 'Chance' home - adopting (a strange word to the narrator Chance) yet another animal for her houseful of Pomeranians. The manner in which Chance interacts with his new 'brothers' as well as his bonding with the lady's adopted autistic son Ryan offers the crux of the story, a story that explains the nurturing and care and sense of family that occurs with the concept of the term 'adoption'.

In Gerencher's gently elegant style of writing the story avoids being maudlin and instead focuses on the wisdom of both animals and humans in exploring, understanding and integrating Adoption as a means of illustrating an extended family, or in other words a `second chance' at life. And by electing to set the typeface of the narration superimposed on the beautifully realized watercolor-like manipulated photography of each of the dogs and the boy, this book becomes an art piece as well. As with other authors who offer subtitles to their books, Gerencher opens her fountain of knowledge and experience in her addressed fields by adding the subtitle 'How Adoption Saved A Boy With Autism and His Shelter Dog'. This book is a fine achievement in literature, in children's books, and in teaching resources for every reader, no matter the age. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, May 08

Chance is an orphan dog that is living in a shelter. While he has companionship in the form of fellow dogs and love from the employees, it is a fleeting thing until the lady and her autistic son Ryan adopt him. At first Chance is frightened because that means he has to get in "one of those big things that go fast on the street." However, once he gets to his new home, he meets the three other dogs owned by the lady and Ryan.
While these dogs are standoffish, they tolerate Chance as he acclimates himself to his new home. However, Chance often hears the words "adopt" and "autism" and he is puzzled as to their meaning. Finally he learns what they mean and his knowledge of "adoption" makes him very happy. He now knows that he has a permanent home and that he can sleep on the bed with the lady. Ryan also gets benefits because he and Chance can understand each other. With his condition, Ryan has a difficult time understanding and being understood by others.
Narrated by Chance, this book is one that will be loved by all pet owners, as the different perspective is one that most would not consider. As a lifelong owner of dogs and cats who has taken in strays, I have had the pleasure of their company and understand how much they can enrich your life.

A puppy
Gets lucky
And finds a place to call home

A child
Who's special
And finds a friend of his own

Adopted
Autistic
Yet forming a special bond

Finding
A love
That goes above and beyond


It's a dog's life for Chance, a Rottweiler/German Shepherd puppy sharing a pen at an animal shelter with his pal Ruffles. One day, a lady picks him out and gives him a new home, where he meets his new "pack", including three fluffy Pomeranians and a little boy who seems to be slightly different.

Told from the canine point of view, this very short children's book provides a new way of introducing the concepts of adoption and autism, and the positive effects of a stable, compassionate and loving home.

Based on the author's real life experiences, misty watercolor images of her little family fill each page of this easy-to-read magazine-sized book (11 x 8.5 x 0.1 inches). As a bonus for pet lovers everywhere, a portion of sales go towards the Humane Society.




Amanda Richards, May 22, 2008

Chance is a shelter dog who is given a "second chance," and he has a tale to tell about his adoption and his new family. When he is adopted from the shelter, he doesn't really understand what's happening. He has to ride in a car, which is very scary for him, to get to his new house where he is greeted by a pack of Pomeranians (not all of whom are friendly). In addition to the dogs, his pack also now consists of "Mommy" and the boy, Ryan. Mommy explains that Ryan is special, just like Chance, and was also adopted. Ryan, who is autistic, is the only person who can understand Chance and it is from Ryan that Chance learns the word "adoption" and what it means. Chance is delighted to learn that adoption "means to be loved forever" and he is eager to share that with the rest of his pack.

Filled with softly blended watercolor photos of the members of the family, this is a story told from Chance's point of view. The images form a lovely background for the text on each page, with a message that is both heartwarming and heartfelt. The storyline mirrors the life of the author, who adopted a similar set of dogs and has an adopted son with special needs. There were really a few main themes operating here; there was the idea of adoption and understanding what that meant, but also the theme of being different and how that makes one special. I think focusing on just one of those themes may have made for a more powerful story, but they are both wonderful themes to share with children.

A PBS Kids Recommended title, this title is listed on Amazon as being geared for ages 9-12. I felt the format and the premise of the story seemed geared for a younger age group, but the smaller font size, large amount of words on each page, and the overall writing was more fitting for older children. I think the story could be even stronger and fit a wider age group with fewer words on each page. That would make it an easy read-aloud for younger children, and a fun picture book for older children.

Altogether, this is a lovely read and a helpful aid in explaining adoption to older children.

A wonderfully true story about the ultimate statement of a mother's love, adoption. The author's "journey" begins many years earlier with rescuing unwanted dogs from shelters, but this book tells the tale of the bond that is formed between her two most precious and recent adoptions - her son Terry and his dog Chance. Told from the viewpoint of the dog, the book is both comical and at times emotional as you witness almost firsthand the difference Chance makes in Terry's life. A nice gift for yourself or for others.

Sandra Gerencher's book, Second Chance, is uniquely written from a rescued dog's point of view. It is a delightful quick read about the adoption of an animal shelter dog who goes home with an autistic child...also adopted. Even though the book is a light read, the message between the lines is powerful. A must read for adopted children.

Second Chance by Sandra Gerencher is a wonderful and heartwarming story of Ryan, a boy with autism, and his new pet Chance, a Rottweiler German Shepherd mix. With both of them being adopted, they can relate to each other in so many ways, but the most important thing that each one understands is that being adopted means stability and a family, security and acceptance. Being with people who will love you no matter what and hold you in their hearts forever as if you were their own. The tale gives more of a thorough understanding of what going through an adoption is like through the eyes of Ryan and Chance. Each sharing their own experiences. Ryan teaches a lesson that speaks to Chance, explaining to him that no matter how hard the journey was that brought them to their new mother; it was worth it to be loved unconditionally, to be accepted into a home where past does not matter, only the future.

Second Chance is a wonderful little book that accomplishes a great deal in a relatively small number of warm and wonderfully illustrated pages. First and foremost, it explains adoption in terms that any child can understand - and it does so in an interesting way, via the point of view of Chance, a shelter dog rescued by the author and brought home to live with her, her son, and their three other dogs. The lady keeps talking about adoption, but Chance doesn't understand what that means, nor does he understand what the lady means by his getting a second chance.

Like Chance, Ryan was also adopted, but there is something special about Ryan - he has autism and several related disorders. That doesn't bother Chance at all; in fact, he relates more to this little boy than he does to his new Pomeranian brothers and sister (who aren't as quick to welcome a large, energetic puppy into their lives). In fact, it is Ryan who helps Chance learn just what adoption means. The boy may have bounced around between foster homes rather than being caged up in a shelter, but Chance recognizes how similar their situations were - and he is thrilled to learn that he now has a permanent home with a family who will always love him and take care of him. Adoption, as Ryan tells him, means to be loved forever.

The most telling part of this whole story is the communication between Chance and Ryan. The boy's autism makes communication with other people problematic, yet he can understand Chance just fine. He even looks Chance in the eye when he talks to him - in complete sentences, no less - which is something he never does when talking to humans. This bond formed between Chance and Ryan obviously proves mutually beneficial to them both - and is the very heart of the book.

Chance's early impressions of Ryan (such as his penchant for chewing on his collar) are likely quite similar to a child's first reaction to such a special needs child. That being the case, this book definitely has the potential to help children understand and interact more easily with any friends or family members who have special needs. This is by no means a primer on the nature of autism, but the book does provide a degree of insight into the nature of the condition.

Sandra J. Gerencher's story is as heart-warming as it is instructive, largely because Second Chance is the author's own story - more specifically, the story of the unique bond between her own adopted son Terry (who was born with Fragile X Syndrome) and her rescued shelter dog Chance. The warm and fuzzy watercolor photos that fill each page are of her real-life family of boy and dogs, each one of which was given the gift of a second chance for a happy and healthy life by this caring woman. Having worked with special needs children and adults for over 20 years, Gerencher knows the unique qualities such children have to offer. She also knows the joys that innocent dogs rescued from high-kill animal shelters bring to people's lives. The publication of Second Chance is really just an extension to the important advocacy work Sandra Gerencher has been doing throughout her adult life.

I've read many, many books about dogs (especially shelter dogs), but nothing like this.

The author tackles the attitude of "disposability" that far too many members of our society have seem to adopted, i.e., if something isn't perfect, looks like it will require too much effort, etc., let's just throw it away. Granted, not all people are equally suited to handle a special needs child, a rescued pet, etc., but for those of us who choose to put in that extra effort, the results can be far and beyond anything we ever imagined.

Matilda Mae: The Dog Who Needed a Name

The idea of writing about a boy with autism who can only communicate properly with a dog is interesting enough. Add to it the dog's point of view/voice and it makes for an even more interesting premise.
Chance, a shelter dog, is adopted by a family whose child, Ryan, is autistic and has a few other disorders as well. Like the dog, Chance, Ryan has also been adopted, so Ryan and Chance become best friends, helping each other understand their adoption situation and its implications. Most of the story is dialog with very little to no description.
Second Chance is a recommended read for children who need to understand what adoption is about. It's also useful in teaching children that being 'different' isn't necessarily bad or inferior. I liked the fact that it's a true story which gives the narrative a warm and personal touch.
The reason why I didn't rate this book higher is the language. The book's too short to be a middle grade read, the language is too simple for an intermediate reader. Judging from the illustrations, reading level difficulty and book length, the author would have been better off marketing it as a picture book. With no description beyond the illustrations Second Chance is a picture book suitable for readers aged 6 to 9.
Formatting is bad, the print is too small for a children's book, which makes it hard to read out loud, or give it to a child to read, however the story makes up for it, hence the five stars.