My Forest Library

Disability Book Week begins tomorrow! If you’ve been following my blog, you may have noticed that I have posted several book reviews in advance for Disability Book Week. This is because I was selected to be a panelist for the event and to review books that are good examples of disability representation! Please check out the Official Instagram for Disability Book Week for more information.

Here is a list of the books I have reviewed so far for Disability Book Week:

Fierce and Delicate: Essays on Dance and Illness by Renée K. Nicholson

One For All by Lillie Lainoff

The Truth About Stacey by Ann M. Martin

What I Mean When I Say I’m Autistic by Annie Kotowicz

Below is my review of Louie and the Dictator by Lisa Bournelis.

Louie and the Dictator by Lisa Bournelis

What age demographic is the book written for? Children
Does the author self-identify as disabled? No/Unknown (parent of a disabled child)
What disability is discussed in the book? OCD with intrusive thoughts, Neurodivergence
Does the book follow the APA Style Guide for disability language? Yes

Louie and the Dictator is about a little boy who has OCD, which causes severe intrusive thoughts. Louie often thinks that if he doesn’t do something just right, horrible things will happen (his parents might die or stop loving him, etc.). In this story, Louie personifies his intrusive thoughts as a villain that he sees and hears, and he calls this villain The Dictator. I am personally unclear whether Louie’s Dictator is simply a metaphor, or if Louie is actually hallucinating the evil character that he sees and who speaks to him. I also have OCD and grew up with similar intrusive thoughts when I was a kid. Mine did not, however, come from an imagined outside force, but instead from my own mind. Of course, everyone experiences their lives and illnesses differently so this is okay.

My two favorite parts of the book are: 1) Louie’s story takes place during the covid lockdown. This is understandably frightening and anxiety-inducing for Louie. What I appreciate is that his parents and doctor are fully supportive of his needs during the lockdown. 2) Louie’s doctor is a dream doctor — he is patient and explains Louie’s condition clearly in a way that kids AND adults can understand. In real life, it’s rare to find a patient and caring doctor! I also loved how the author provided sources for the information in this part. I always love a well-researched book.

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.