Just Like Me

This book is a non-fiction anthology giving the reader a brief glimpse into the lives of forty achievers from around the world who live or have lived with various impairments. The profiles include well known figures such as Stephen Hawking, the astrophysicist who lived with a form of multiple sclerosis and Frieda Karlo, the artist who lived in constant pain. Daniel Radcliffe, the Harry Potter actor, has dyspraxia, a disorder of developmental coordination. Many other disabilities are also discussed. The impairments cover a wide range of severity, from dyslexia to severe burns. Golding has clearly researched her subjects in a comprehensive and detailed manner. She views each subject positively. Each biography lists the achievements of its subject as well as some of the difficulties that individual has faced. It is relatively uncommon for biographical essays to highlight the difficulties encountered by the subject.

At the foot of each page there is a brief summary of the medical condition or impairment relating to that individual. This structure makes for a concise form. However it does not adequately demonstrate how seriously the impairment affected the individual, or how difficult it was to overcome it. The book would be useful as a teaching aid in Key Stage 2 and beyond, helping to discuss and normalise personal differences.