Suzanne Kamata

The first collection of literary writing on raising a child with special needs, Love You to Pieces features caregivers' perspectives at every stage in the lives of children with mental or physical difficulties, from premature birth to middle age. In this rich blend of short stories, essays, and poems, families cope with autism, deafness, muscular dystrophy, Down syndrome, other forms of retardation, and more, laying bare the moments of rage, disappointment, and guilt that can color their relationships. Parent-child communication can be a challenge at the best of times,b ut here we see the epic struggles and triumphs of those who speak their own language - or don't speak at all - and those who love them dearly. Together, the authors paint a beautiful, wrenchingly honest portrait of what it means to care for a child who does not experience the world as we do.


"Powerful, unflinching, and beautifully rendered, Love You to Pieces is...true literature. Through a combination of fiction, poetry and memoir - some by renowned authors, others by emerging writers, every piece saturated with hard-won insight - the loving parents in these pages speak honestly and artfully about every stage of their experience. Parents who wear these shoes will find deep, moving depictions of a reality they know so well. [Others] will find a literary experience they'll never forget -- and more richness than they ever imagined."

-Rachel Simon, author of Riding the Bus with My Sister: A True Life Journey