McHugh's book puts a new perspective out there for siblings of the disabled to come to grips with many of the endemic problems that this population of people (myself being one of them) deals with. Great for adults in understanding where they are coming from and really great for kids in understanding why they feel differently about siblings than their friends might. While there are other books out there, this one puts a bit of a "feel-good spin" on having siblings with disabilities, particularly in the last chapter. Sometimes you need to wallow in the frustration for a while and understand the negative consequences and their impact before you can see the positives, which is the only reason that this book gets four of five stars - aside from that, this is an excellent, helpful book that does a fantastic job of explaining the dilemma of having a sibling with a disability.

First of all, I really wish that people who have not grown up with a disabled sibling would not write negative reviews of this book because they just don't know what it is like. My sister had polio and her illness and subsequent operations took all of my families' resources both financial and emotional. I grew up thinking that I was unimportant and that maybe if I was sick too, I would get attention. My earliest thoughts were those of wishing that I would just die so I didn't have to feel so bad/guilty all the time. Kids that grow up with disabled siblings often feel that they did something wrong to cause the disability. My middle sister and I both felt that way, yet we weren't even born when it happened.

Ms. McHugh has written an incredibly honest book that will be greatly appreciated by anyone else in this situation. We live in a world of silence and isolation, how can you ever complain when you can walk, talk, hear, etc. You would be considered extremely selfish. The life of a sibling of a disabled person is very distorted.

Thank you, Ms. McHugh for your courage.

There is a great need for enlightened books on the topic of growing up with a sibling with a disability. Unfortunately, this book does not answer that need.

Ms. McHugh feels the common denominator between her and the other siblings who lament their sibling is the issue of disability. In fact, the common demoninator is self-pity. Most of us in this world have issues with their childhood, whether they be a sibling with a handicap, an abusive parent, a dead beat dad, or an overachieving brother. We all carry many scars. It is not the challenges that we face, but what we make of those challenges.

Having a loved one with a disability does not change our essential truth. Yes, it may be difficult at times, but life is, difficult that is. The challenge of facing a disability on a daily basis only makes you more of what you already are. Sometimes that's good, in this case it's very sad.

Ms. McHugh may be the sibling of a man with a disability. But she is the one truly handicapped. Handicapped by her inability to stop using the disability as a crutch. The disability nor your brother are the source of your pain, anger and suffering. It is the inability to deal with it in a productive manner.

The next book I'd like to read from Ms. McHugh would be about people with disabilities and how they tolerate the whiny, self-important, shallow ramblings of their very confused siblings.