Jason's Secret . (2001). By Ellen-Marie Silverman. 1 ^st Books Library, 2595 Vernal Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404. 232 pages; electronic book $3.95, paperback $10.95. Reviewed by Shannon Neal-Brown, Fort Worth, TX.

Jason's Secret is a novel written for pre-teens and adults. It deals with the issue of stuttering. This book could be used in middle and/or high schools, in private practices, in hospitals, and in freestanding clinics. Its purpose is to promote expression of one's feelings regarding their stuttering and to provide encouragement through examples of others who have overcome and/or learned to manage their stuttering behaviors. This book is not an assessment instrument--its sole use is for therapeutic intervention.

Jason's Secret is written not only for the person who stutters, but also for parents, siblings, and teachers. It allows others who have never stuttered--or who have never been in contact with someone who stutters--to see and to understand the emotions that individuals who stutter feel at times. It covers the shame they often feel about themselves as communicators. It addresses the fear of stuttering in front of others, as well as the anger that people who stutter feel because they can't seem to even say their own names fluently. It also addresses how some people who stutter go along with some things not because they necessarily want to, but because they are afraid they will stutter if they try to express what they really want. For instance, when the character in this book makes an order at a restaurant, he doesn't order what he wants, he orders what he thinks he can say fluently. This book also addresses how individuals who stutter feel about speech treatment. The character in this book is not fond of speech treatment and refuses to do "turtle talk." It addresses how Jason's speech-language pathologist works through this issue and wins his trust and his cooperation. At the end of the book, the readers see how Jason starts to win the battle with his stuttering and his emotions.

Jason's Secret is an extremely easy and quick read. The print is large, and it is only 211 pages. It has appeal to students in that it's written from a child's perspective, and it covers the issues that children often face--peer acceptance and self esteem. It addresses several issues that people who stutter face (i.e., fear of stuttering, anger, embarrassment, avoidance, and loneliness). As you and the people you work with who stutter go through this book, it gives you an opportunity to discuss these issues and to come up with ways to deal with them.

In this book, Jason's SLP happens to stutter herself, which immediately grabs Jason's attention and gives him hope. Often, to the students we work with, stuttering is just something we try to cure but have no connection with. This book may provide that missing link in your treatment, opening doors to encouragement for the individual who stutters that you are working with. In the section of the book about the author, Silverman acknowledges that she used to stutter and has overcome her stuttering. This may make the book more acceptable and believable by youngsters who are skeptical about treatments you may suggest. I think this book could be used during one-on-one treatments and in a group setting. It will provoke conversation that will enable you as a clinician to not only address the emotional issues, but the stuttering behaviors as well. Overall, I would highly recommend this book for any clinician who works with pre-teens and teenagers who stutter.