Review: "Gabe & Izzy: Speaking Up for America's Bullied," by Gabrielle Ford

Gabe and Izzy is a story that needs to be told. Gabrielle "Gabe" Ford was diagnosed with a degenerative muscular disease called Friedrich's ataxia when she was in 8th grade. Being told she would lose her ability to walk is definitely not something anyone wants to hear. She was so stubborn that she didn't tell anyone at school what she was dealing with and refused to use crutches or a wheelchair for several years. In fact, she promised herself she'd walk the stage at her high school graduation, and she did. But she dealt with years of extreme bullying at school, and it seemed to me that the kids would have been horrible to her whether they knew about her disease or not. Gabe was lonely, depressed, and dwelling in a dark place. She thought of a way to fix her problems - get a dog! She adopted Izzy, a lovable coonhound with the longest ears in the litter, but Izzy started to show signs of illness and muscle disease too. The two became a dynamic duo, with Gabe reluctantly sharing her story with the world in order to save Izzy's life. Now she is a much sought-after speaker for school events.

Mrs. Denney's Rating: ***

#review #bullying #nonfiction #disability