THE SIDEWAYS LIFE OF DENNY VOSS

This morning I finished a very special novel for book club, and even though we didn’t select it because of Disability Pride Month, the timing turned out to be perfect - so I wanted to share it with all of you before July is over.

The Sideways Life of Denny Voss is the deeply heartrending and often funny story of a intellectually challenged young man who has been wrongly accused of a small town murder. While he’s awaiting trial, his lawyer and therapist unravel the events leading up to the crime, and along with them we learn Denny’s backstory to his current predicament. As layers of Denny’s family history are revealed, a wonderful assortment of characters in his community provide a lens through which we come to know and appreciate Denny, who is so much more than the disability that he refuses to let define him.

Like all of the recommendations here, I know this tender, perfectly funny-sad book will stay in my heart. Through the characters in these books is a common thread of feeling invisible or underestimated by the world. But also, each one shows us what it means to be truly seen by a family, friend, or community, sometimes through the tiniest gestures or words. They are reminders to be one of those people who sees beyond a person’s disability with empathy, patience, guidance, love, friendship. What a world it would be if everyone read one or more of these stories, and felt changed for the better.

Predictability makes Denny feel safe - he sings the same song when he’s upset, he feels comforted by the same noises, and he ALWAYS orders a vanilla sprinkle donut. And I can’t blame him - you really can’t go wrong with this choice.

More books to consider for disability representation: Upward Bound, El Deafo, Dolly All The Time, The Music of Bees, True Biz, and of course: Wonder.