AMY EIGHT TRACK

About the Book

Children often don’t understand why other children look, act, walk, and talk different. However, children are very curious and are more apt to ask why that other child is different from them. The answer is that those children, if given a chance, are more like them. They want what every other child wants—to be liked, to fit in, and to have fun. Matt, Michael, and Jimmy live in the neighborhood where a little girl moves in across the street. Her family moved there because the little girl called Amy is developmentally disabled and needs a better educational program. The boys know she is new in the neighborhood. They know she goes to a different school, and they know she has a disability. However, they still choose to ignore her. One day, Amy sees the boys playing outside. She walks across the street, sits down on the grass, and stays there until she gets their attention. With Amy’s help, the boys learn something they would have never expected.

About the Author

Theresa Gonzales is the mother of two children. Amy was born with Down syndrome and Aaron was born with dislocated hips which resulted in him wearing a body cast for most of his first year of life. Being a young mother certainly had its difficulties. During the first years of their lives, she spent many hours at doctor’s offices and taking the children to physical therapy sessions. There were many tears shed and questions asked as to why she was in this situation. Was there a lesson to be learned? It soon became apparent that these two wonderful children came into her life to give her a greater purpose. Her life was filled with so much love, excitement, life changes, and learning experiences that took her in a direction she would have never imagined. She became a volunteer and an advocate for not only her children, but all other children with Intellectual and developmental disabilities. Because of them, she is the person she is today. During the times that the children rested, she spent her time writing her thoughts down, thoughts turned into poems, and poems turned into stories. Stories that were created by the situations, circumstances, and life experiences centered around events happening in their lives. Life began to change and take another turn. The children went to school, Theresa went to work for an organization that advocates for the rights of persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and the stories were put away; with the thought of one day having them published so that they can be shared with other children. Fast forward 40 years. She hopes you will enjoy her third published book. A portion of each book will be donated to her favorite charity.