Book Review: BOY WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS by Penny Williams

By Leslie Lindsay

Okay, so you got to “meet” Penny Williams yesterday and today…well, you get to learn even more about about her stellar new book, BOY WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS (Grace-Everett Press, 2014). Oh, and today–October 8–just happens to be National Children’s Day.

As a mom of a daughter with AD/HD, I can say Penny Williams nailed it with this account of her boy’s AD/HD. Definitely a must-have for any well-stocked library on special needs–it speaks to educators, therapists, pediatricians, and so much more.

Wow. If you are looking for a frankly honest account of one momma’s struggle of raising a child with AD/HD, this is the book for you. In fact, I highly recommed it for just about anyone who deals with AD/HD from pediatricians to therapists–you’ll get a first-hand account of what us parents–mothers especially–go through on a day to day basis. Night, too. Because you know, there are times we just can’t sleep for thinking about our precious punkins with a special need. And yes, AD/HD definitely qualifies.

BOY WITHPOUT INSTRUCTIONS is well-written, in fact at times I wasn’t sure if I was reading a novel, memoir, self-help, or parenting book–it certainly encompasses all genres–and for that, it’s compulsively readable.

You’ll hear all about Penny’s struggles with getting a diagnosis, navigating an IEP, school woes, living on a moutain surrounded by bears (no kidding), boiling snow for water when power is lost, and struggles with helicopter parenting. This is momma uncensored. You’ll laugh, you’re not in recognition, you might even shed a tear or two.

Penny has yet another book due in just a month or so…be sure to check this one out, too. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE NOT EXPECTING AD/HD