Book Review- Letters To Louis

“I’ve never quite known where to begin when someone asks me what I’ve been up to. I’ve never quite known how to explain what your daily life is like. I wanted to write about it in order to give others a greater understanding of disability and caring. And I wanted to be totally honest, I wanted to write something that would make people consider being Louis’s friend.

So this is me introducing you: Louis, this is your story. Readers, this is my son.“- Alison White

It is always exciting when disability is represented in books, as this is not something that happens everyday. It is even more exciting to me personally when the book features Cerebral Palsy. So let me introduce you to ‘Letter To Louis’. A beautifully written book which is honest and so heartfelt- while raising awareness at the same time. Written in such a way that make you feel like you’ve got for coffee with Alison and she is just telling you a story.

The book is broken up to chapters depending on what age Louis is, starting from when he was born, up until the age of 18. Throughout the book you learn about Louis, being with him every step of his development- even if his development doesn’t follow the norm. I personally found this book particularly interesting as it is written from the mother perspective all the way through. By having the autobiography of the mother it has given me an insight into what it is like for a parent who has a child with CP. With the book starting like this…

Another very authentic part of this book is the attention to detail, not only the detail of Louis’ progress- but also the incredibly hard aspects of having a child with Cerebral Palsy, or any other disability for that matter. The feeling of hopelessness when all you want is the best for your child, yet certain aspects are out of your control. I honestly could not put this book down! As a busy university student this was not always the best thing. I just wanted to know what happened next, appreciating the wise, witty and immensely honest account of life. There are moments when Alison comes up for air, giving herself that moment of silence, often doubting her own capabilities- but getting straight back to caring for her family. Highlighting hardships around juggling everything, without a ‘woe is me’ attitude.

As you can imagine, Louis’ progress is heavily featured in the compilation of memoirs. The front cover may appear fairly ordinary, but is more powerful than anticipated. You’ll find yourself fully invested and willing Louis to meet milestones. You learn his personality and his quirks- he really is a very likeable individual! Despite knowing what it is like to have Cerebral Palsy myself, this book illustrates the importance of small victories in your life. How someone with a disability may not have the same milestones as everyone else- yet the achievement is almost bigger. Opening your eyes to pure job in-between the madness of hospital appointment of all kinds and a situation that may not appear a positive one.

This book is not just for someone who has Cerebral Palsy, it is not just for someone who has a child with CP- it is for anyone interested in following a beautiful journey between mother and son who defy all the odds.

Alison set out to make people consider being Louis’ friend, that most certainly has been achieved!