Rewriting the Rules: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Brain Research and Disability

Gr 1-4–The choice to use mixed media art—collage, pastels, colored pencils, gouache, and digital montage—is the cherry on top of this well-executed biography of Dr. Kathleen Friel. Readers follow Friel from childhood to adulthood as “she rewrote the rules from even the smallest movements” helping her to navigate and excel in the world as a person with c­erebral palsy. Friel found ways to do things her own way, from tying her shoes and blowing dandelions to researching brain cell-connections and earning a black belt in ­karate. The visual representation of Friel and her life experiences is superbly rendered in fluid and bright images that highlight her accomplishments as a differently abled person rather than a singular focus on cerebral palsy. This engaging book also includes an excellent section of back matter on the author’s relationship to Friel and further information about cerebral palsy. Friel is a worthy subject of a biography and her ­ability to show that “hard work was normal” will attract a wider audience. ­