My review of the book “The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal”
The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal by Jonathan Mooney
My review
rating: 3 of 5 stars
For anyone who went through any form of special education, this book is for you.
Reading this book brought back some memories for me. I came through an educational system that treated me as an oddity. In fifth grade I was spending my extra hours reading such books as “All Animals Wise and Wonderful” by James Herriott while my classmates were all reading comics. I had a hard time with how they taught math so my teachers started to label me as a slow learner. Needless to say, I went on to high school where I completed calculus in my final year and have progressed into working as a consultant who helps large companies run complicated software.
The book starts out a little slow. The chapters where Mooney prepares to go on the trip held little stimulating information. It is not until almost halfway into the book that the story takes on life when Mooney visits a deaf blind girl (this chapter is magicical). Wow. What a magical little girl. The chapter about her made me pause for a few moments to consider my life. Here she is, with every excuse to back away from people and live alone within the trappings of her disabilities. But she doesn’t. The little girl loves life and demonstrates it with her powerful personality.
From there the book continues to demonstrate (through other similar stories) that labels thrust upon people should not prevent them from living a full life. Break through the barriers of traditional education. Show the world that you have talent beyond what some people in the closed contrite world of education believe. Everyone has something to contribute and everyone should be included. Like Clinton mentioned in one of his acceptance speeches, It’s not about the “them’s” it’s is about the “us’.”
Looking back, this book could have been written with very little of the information about Mooney’s trip. The people in the different chapters are a story all to themselves. The symbolism of the short bus fell short for me (I never rode one). But for others, the association should be a powerful one.
In short, don’t let the short bus define your life. If anyone tries to put you down or label you as stupid, then push them into the past and blast right on into the future. And for god sakes, never believe anybody in the education system when it comes to who you are and what you should be. They just don’t know.
View all my reviews.
