Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish. And neither do I, so thankfully, this book is in English! It does contain some amazing adventures in Puerto Rico though! It all starts when a school bully pushes Marcus’s buttons and gets him suspended. The trigger? Making fun of Marcus’s little brother Charlie, who has Down Syndrome.
Down Syndrome? What’s That?
Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder – one of the most common ones actually. To understand how Down Syndrome happens, first we’ve got to take a trip to the bakery!
How to make a Baby Bun in the Oven
- Step 1: Get 23 chromosomes from mom
- Step 2: Get 23 chromosomes from dad
- Step 3: Combine. Shake, then stir
- Step 4: Set oven at body temperature and bake for 9 months
And that’s the usual recipe for a baby! (Some details not included)
So what is this ‘chromosome’ ingredient? A chromosome is a great big string of genes – it carries the information that is passed down from parent to child. Normally, a person has 23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell – making a total of 46 chromosomes. But in Down Syndrome, babies accidentally get an extra chromosome 21. Because of this, Down Syndrome is also sometimes called Trisomy 21.
People with Down Syndrome may have several things in common:
- Similar facial features
- low muscle tone (this can affect fitness)
- intellectual disability (usually mild to moderate)
- risk for other medical problems (heart defects are very common, and they may need surgery. Defects of the digestive system, problems with seeing, hearing and low thyroid function are also possible)
It is important to know that each person with Down syndrome is affected differently. Their capabilities and needs are not all the same. Many children with Down syndrome will have a good quality of life. Having access to good educational programs, therapies, and skills training programs can help.
Charlie Vega is awesome!
Charlie is such a great character in this book! He is funny, he’s curious, he’s adventurous. He’s great at connecting with other people (he knows the names of every middle grade student in the school). When he has an interest, he loves to learn. He’s also got his stubborn, snarky moments – because he’s human. This is a character that children will enjoy and connect with. Readers won’t come away from this book knowing everything about Down Syndrome, but I don’t think that’s needed. This book will expand the reader’s ideas about what a person with Down Syndrome is capable of, and that is a great starting point!
Another great book is ‘47 Strings: Tessa’s Special Code‘ by Becky Carey. This one is a picture book, written by the mother of a sweet little girl with Down Syndrome (Tessa). The author initially wrote this to help her son understand his sister Tessa’s condition. I am sure it will be useful for many other siblings as well. I love the way this book takes something as complicated as genetics and explains it in a simple, accessible manner for a young audience. The bigger message, though, is the importance of a family’s love and support.
Additional Resources:
Gigi’s Playhouse is a nonprofit organization that provides free educational, therapy-based and career development programs for individuals with Down syndrome, their families and the community.
Want to check out some other children’s books that feature characters with health conditions? Take a look at our bookshelf!
