I grew up in the Bronx, but it was a long time ago. It was when you could go outside and play without being locked inside a gate or having your mother watch over you like a hawk. If you did something wrong, your parents heard about it because your neighbors told them. You could go to a neighbor’s house and eat candy or cookies and not worry about being kidnapped. Although it wasn’t a small town it had small town values.
The Side-Yard Superhero (Life in Degraff: An Automythography)
Rickie, as he was known then, had a paper route and got to know many of his neighbors very well. You are introduced to them through his eyes and you get tidbits of their life stories, but those stories tell you a great deal about the characters.
The person that stands out the most is Bernie Jones, who had cerebral palsy and was confined to a wheelchair. Back then, with no laws to open up schools to children with disabilities, Bernie was stuck at home. He spent most of his time outside in his side yard. At first, Rickie was afraid to meet him, unsure of what to expect. In time, Bernie and Rickie become friends who touch each other’s lives in ways Rickie never dreamed possible.
You share their journey as well as the town’s ability to open up to Bernie and treat him as one of them. You also get to know a bit about the author’s current life as an adult and how his life in DeGraff forged his future.
My Review: I was very touched by The Side-Yard Superhero. It wasn’t only because of the small town images, but because of the way that Bernie was able to become a person in his own right through the caring of a young boy. Rickie met Bernie when he was only 9 years old and remained his friend until he left for college. This true story helped me to remember that children can do mighty things.
Because of being an advocate for people with health issues and disabilities, reading about Bernie and his disadvantages makes me recognize that we have come a long way but still have a long way to go. Education in the US must be open to all children, but the stigma of being “different” continues.
Buy It: The Side-Yard Superhero (Life in Degraff: An Automythography)
Review courtesy of Family Review Networks.
