Review of Canaries Among Us
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[Following is a volunteer review of "Canaries Among Us" by Kayla Taylor.]
In Canaries Among Us, author and dedicated mother Kayla Taylor relates her daughter’s experience as a victim of bullying in a highly-esteemed private school. As the incidents of bullying escalate, the negligence of the school staff and the betrayal of friends take a toll on the entire family. Taylor walks readers through her process of grieving and healing, as she sets out to understand why human beings treat each other with such cruelty and indifference and makes efforts to bring about change.
The Author’s Note at the opening of the book drew me in immediately. Taylor made me feel like a confidante and friend and set the tone for the book as one of humility, vulnerability, and solidarity. As I continued through the book, I found myself becoming enraged at the injustice, as my heart broke over the hurt and humiliation that no child (or adult) should be forced to endure.
Throughout the entire book, Taylor is respectful of all parties involved in the bullying incidents – the children who targeted her daughter, their parents, the teachers, principal, and school board. She gives them the benefit of the doubt, and when they fail to extend the same respect to her, she educates herself, so that she can more effectively advocate for her child.
As the author discovers and accepts her children’s learning differences, she becomes impassioned about the civil rights of all human beings, particularly those who are neurodiverse. She challenged me to question the very definition of “normal” and “average.” I am left wondering: What if we embrace each other’s differences, instead of teasing and even ostracizing each other for the things that make us unique?
Taylor effectively drew me into her world and her experience, and I quickly became emotionally invested in her story. Her dedication to research and empathy cemented her credibility with me. Her writing style was enjoyable and easy to read, and the book appears to have been well-edited. I give it 5 out of 5 stars!
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a caregiver for children. Canaries Among Us is a call to action, challenging the reader to examine themselves for apathy, willful ignorance, and cowardice. While Taylor’s experience is heartbreaking, it is not a story without hope – it is a reminder that grace, kindness, and the courage to come alongside our fellow human beings and acknowledge their pain could truly change our world.
******
Canaries Among Us
View: on Bookshelves |
In Canaries Among Us, author and dedicated mother Kayla Taylor relates her daughter’s experience as a victim of bullying in a highly-esteemed private school. As the incidents of bullying escalate, the negligence of the school staff and the betrayal of friends take a toll on the entire family. Taylor walks readers through her process of grieving and healing, as she sets out to understand why human beings treat each other with such cruelty and indifference and makes efforts to bring about change.
The Author’s Note at the opening of the book drew me in immediately. Taylor made me feel like a confidante and friend and set the tone for the book as one of humility, vulnerability, and solidarity. As I continued through the book, I found myself becoming enraged at the injustice, as my heart broke over the hurt and humiliation that no child (or adult) should be forced to endure.
Throughout the entire book, Taylor is respectful of all parties involved in the bullying incidents – the children who targeted her daughter, their parents, the teachers, principal, and school board. She gives them the benefit of the doubt, and when they fail to extend the same respect to her, she educates herself, so that she can more effectively advocate for her child.
As the author discovers and accepts her children’s learning differences, she becomes impassioned about the civil rights of all human beings, particularly those who are neurodiverse. She challenged me to question the very definition of “normal” and “average.” I am left wondering: What if we embrace each other’s differences, instead of teasing and even ostracizing each other for the things that make us unique?
Taylor effectively drew me into her world and her experience, and I quickly became emotionally invested in her story. Her dedication to research and empathy cemented her credibility with me. Her writing style was enjoyable and easy to read, and the book appears to have been well-edited. I give it 5 out of 5 stars!
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a caregiver for children. Canaries Among Us is a call to action, challenging the reader to examine themselves for apathy, willful ignorance, and cowardice. While Taylor’s experience is heartbreaking, it is not a story without hope – it is a reminder that grace, kindness, and the courage to come alongside our fellow human beings and acknowledge their pain could truly change our world.
******
Canaries Among Us
View: on Bookshelves |
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