Overcoming Dyslexia Book Review: What Every Dyslexia Parent Should Know
When my oldest was diagnosed with specific learning disorder in reading, also known as dyslexia, I knew the basics. Letters can look different to some kids. There can be reversals. Spelling is hard. But I didn’t know what to do about it, who to go to, or how to teach someone to read despite it. A school psychologist recommended this book, and it changed a lot in our homeschooling journey. This Overcoming Dyslexia book review comes from a place I know well.
Today’s book is Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz, MD. It’s long. I think it’s worth it, and it’s available as an audiobook, which is how I listened to it.
Overcoming Dyslexia Book Review: Who This Book Is For
This is for parents who’ve discovered they have dyslexia themselves and want to understand it, or whose child has recently been diagnosed and they’re trying to figure out how to help. It’s a great starting point. It’s comprehensive, research-based, and explains what dyslexia is at a neurological level rather than just describing what the symptoms might look like.
One thing worth mentioning — after reading this book, I realized my husband is likely an undiagnosed dyslexic. He is impressive and naturally developed coping strategies that got him through school. Recognizing the patterns in this book was a revelation for me and him. It’s helped our marriage because I understand him better, and he understands himself. It’s also helped our son, seeing that his dad has it too and how successful he’s been. So this isn’t just a book for your kid. It’s for anyone in your life who might be navigating this.
Overcoming Dyslexia Book Review: What the Book Covers
Sally Shaywitz is a neuroscientist and physician who has spent her career researching dyslexia. The book covers the neuroscience of reading and why dyslexic brains process language differently, how to identify dyslexia at different ages including signs that often get missed, and what research shows actually works.
It also walks through the Orton-Gillingham method, evaluation and testing, how to advocate for your child at school, and practical strategies for home and the classroom. The research emphasis is genuinely useful — this book gets right to the evidence instead of just offering opinions.
What Changed After Reading It
A few things happened after I finished this book. I sought out a college-level Orton-Gillingham training and took a course so I could better support my son, which led me to the science of reading more broadly and changed how I evaluate literacy curriculum. Now I have a clearer lens for picking something that will actually work for my kids.
The book also recommends typing, so I started focusing on that with my son. I tried the computer program Shaywitz recommends, but it was a little too fast-paced for him — it looked fun, but he’s a slower processor and needed more of a book format. Still, it gave me an active intervention to start working on. If you’re looking for more reading-specific strategies, my post on the homeschool curriculum research I wish I’d done sooner goes deeper into what to look for in a reading program.
Is It an Easy Read?
Honestly, it reads well as an informational book. Shaywitz is a good writer, and it’s easy to understand even though it’s long. The audio version can help you stay with it, but the physical book is also nice because it has illustrations of different brains and other references that are useful to flip back to.
Overcoming Dyslexia Book Review: My Honest Take
This book has been my foundation for understanding dyslexia. It changed my approach with my son, helped me know what to look for in curriculums, and helped me understand both my son and my husband better. All of that makes it worth the read.
If you’re at the beginning of trying to understand your child, yourself, your partner, or anyone else in your life with dyslexia — or if you’ve been teaching a dyslexic child for a while but still feel like you’re missing a guide — this is a good one to check out. You can grab a copy here. And if you want more honest reviews like this one, you can find the full book review playlist on YouTube.
For more on supporting a dyslexic learner at home, check out my posts on early signs of autism and ADHD in kids, since these often overlap with dyslexia and can affect how kids learn to read. Also, be on the look out for more dyslexia-specific content soon.
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