From Where I Sit: Making My Way with Cerebral Palsy

by Shelley Nixon

Book Overview

This autobiographical account of a young woman explores how it feels to live with cerebral palsy while struggling to have a full life despite the challenges facing her every day. Original. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 059039584X
• ISBN13: 9780590395847
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Length: 136 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 4.2" x 6.8"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Shelley Nixon's poetry

I am priviledged to know Shelley and to work with her in a volunteer theater group to which we both belong. Shelley is one of the most uplifting, positive people I have ever met. She meets her disability and its challenges without hesitation every day. Shelley's poetry is often featured in the performances that the group does, and her writings are always greeted enthusiastically by the audience. The poetry in this book is honest, forthright and does not gloss over the hardships of being disabled. Instead, Shelley's book and her life offer other people a view of someone who deals realistically with CP every day, and does not let the disability hold her back from living her life fully.

Quietly moving bio of a young woman

Shelley Nixon was born with Cerebral Palsy. Many readers will expect an informative look at CP, along with an emotional description of dealing with a disability.Instead, we get a straightforward look at a young woman looking back on her childhood and adolescence. Shelley's CP is, of course, the catalyst for a lot of her life's events, but she refuses to devote her autobiography to her disability. Instead, she writes, with funny and honest prose, about childhood, friendships, family, crushes, and art - all things important to her. She doesn't shy away from descriptions about her physical limitations and numerous surgeries (and the emotional struggles of dealing with her disability), but she refuses to be defined by Cerebral Palsy, in both her book and her life. She may not be as introspective in "From Where I Sit" as you might like, but insight can be found in her poetry, particularly "A Tree For Me."Shelley Nixon may one day write a book about her disability, but first, she chose to write about herself. That alone is a strong statement about embracing one's own abilities.

Great book!

I am a senior Rehab major at Indiana University of PA and I have had over 5 years of experience working with people with CP and other disabilities. I started off having to read this book for a class and loved it! I could not put it down!! This book is an excellent source for anyone who may or who already does work with people with CP. It would also be good for people with CP because it shows everything she had to overcome throughout her life and now she has written a book when many people said she couldn't!! It allows you to view her through her point of view without prejudice and discrimination. What Shelley writes about is everything i have seen with persons with quadriplegic CP. This is not a depressing book. It is inspirational and very eye opening.

From Where I Sit: Making My Way with Cerebral Palsy

I read this book to my 4th grade class. They truly enjoyed reading a story that was written by a child with cerebral palsy. Many of the students didn't even know what CP was and now thet feel much more aware of this disease and are not afraid to speak to someone in a wheelchair . They also enjoyed Shelley's poetry. Overall this was a worth while book to read and it made the girls aware of how lucky they are.

Wherever you sit you should read this!

Everyone should read this autobiography by Shelly Nixon; it is that gripping and insightful! I don't care how old or young you are, your life will be truly enriched by this woman's point of view. I was highly impressed by the depth of self-understanding she has mastered expressing in print. Shelly's writing is crafted with a acute skill of self-perception, making for a valuably sage autobiography. Shelly's open and personal 'voice' reveals and articulates aspects of human life conditions (specifically her unique human experience) with entertaining personal anecdotes which she synthesizes to provide a clear view of life from where she sits. Shelly's approach is both informing and appropriate to the uplifting message she has to communicate.