Second Chance: How Adoption Saved A Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog by Sandra Gerencher
Reviewed by: Chris Singer
About the author:
Sandra J. Gerencher is a special education teacher in the Bangor Area public school system. Prior to becoming a teacher, she worked at Lehigh University in a school-based program, as a Program Specialist for adults with disabilities. Over the past 20 years she has worked with children and adults with special needs in such areas as counseling, Behavior Specialist Consultation, behavioral research, crisis intervention and abuse therapy. Sandra graduated from Lehigh University with a M.Ed. in Special Education (2004) and from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia with an M.S. in Counseling Psychology (1999).
About the book:
Over the past 10 years, author Sandra Gerencher has been on a mission to save dogs from high-kill animal shelters. Her first rescue was P.J., the black and white Pomeranian in the story. She also adopted the orange Pomeranians Shelby and Lil Rascal, and of course, Chance, the big black Rottweiler/German Shepherd mix.
Her most significant adoption was her son, Terry. He was considered a special needs child because he was born with a genetic disorder known as Fragile X Syndrome. The disorder can cause many cognitive disorders, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mental retardation and depression.
All characters in the story are based on Sandra’s real life family.
Watch the book trailer:
My take on the book:
Second Chance is a beautifully written testimony to the power of love we can give to someone by offering them a second chance. Told from the unique perspective of the rescued dog Chance, young readers are the given the opportunity to learn about adoption and autism in a very simple yet beautiful way. The impressionistic photographs were fascinating for me and I thought were incredibly poignant as a metaphor for empathy and learning to see the world through someone else’s eyes.
Sandra Gerencher’s lifelong commitment to rescuing dogs and her love of both animals and people is incredibly inspiring. It’s easy for me to say this is a must-read for adopted children but I want to go a step further and say it&rsq
Thank you, Chris, for the heart warming and touching review of SECOND CHANCE. It is definitely a book that tugs at the heart strings especially considering it is based on Sandra’s real life family. Thank you for recommending it to the fine readers of Book Dads – both young and old.
Best wishes,
Nicole
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