A Special Assembly

The Asian Peoples’ Disability Alliance is an organisation set up by Asian people with disabilities to provide health, education and social services to other Asian people and their families. This booklet introduces Raj who has asthma but who wants desperately to play cricket. An over-protective mum won’t allow it, so Raj spends hours daydreaming about his hero, Anish Patel. A school project involving letter writing to pen pals has Raj writing off to Patel and ultimately meeting him at a special assembly which Patel attends in answer to Raj’s letter. It seems he has asthma too and convinces Raj and his mum that Raj will be able to play cricket. It cannot be said this is a good book. Predictable and unimaginative, it will still do exactly what it intends – help young boys with asthma learn that they can participate in sport. And the bright comic-style illustrations will appeal to them. Information for parents is provided at the bottom of each page in English and three Asian languages.

(Order from Icky Hasnain at 020 8902 2083 or APDMCHA@aol.com)