Book review: Sydney's Special Voice

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Srishti Gopal from our volunteer review team gives her thoughts on Sydney's Special Voice by Kelly Nixon, a new book for young children.

Sydney's Special Voice by Kelly Nixon, aimed at children aged 3 to 8, is about a young speech bubble who stammers called Sydney, who one day realises he speaks differently to those around him and starts to feel self-conscious. Seeing Sydney looking sad, his friends step in to support him, offering encouragement and reminding him of his worth. Bolstered by their belief in him, Sydney gains the confidence to take on a speaking challenge and learns to feel joy in speaking.

It's a simple yet resonant story that young children can easily relate to and does an admirable job at introducing the concept of crisis management, with a gentle resolution. Notably, it accounts for both negative and later positive reactions from peers, modelling how such situations might play out in real life. 

The portrayal of stammering is exceptionally well handled. It's presented as a normal, individual difference and framed within a broader message: everyone is unique, and while not everyone will understand or be patient, there are always people who will. The book subtly reinforces the idea that acceptance and support can be found, and that being different is nothing to be ashamed of. This scaffolding is essential for young children taking their first steps toward self-acceptance. 

One particular quote really stood out to me: 

"He learnt that everybody has something special about them and his stammer was HIS something special. His stammer was just part of who he was." 

This message deeply resonated with me. It's crucial that children hear this kind of affirmation that standing out is not a flaw, and not fitting in doesn't mean they're lacking anything. We all carry something unique that makes us who we are.

One of the story's more subtle but powerful messages is the importance of choosing good friends who support you during difficult moments. This is a critical lesson for children, especially as they begin forming social bonds and engaging more with their wider community. 

The book subtly reinforces the idea that acceptance and support can be found, and that being different is nothing to be ashamed of. 

The book also serves as a strong conversation starter for whether children have personally experienced a similar situation or are simply learning about acceptance, friendship and confidence for the first time. 

While the language is simple and the font is friendly and clear, at times the text is quite dense, which, for an early reader reading alone might feel overwhelming. Perhaps spacing out the text or integrating more visual breaks could have made it a little more inviting at first glance. However, if read aloud by an adult, the descriptive and emotional storytelling is likely to engage a child's imagination and curiosity. 

• See our list of books for children who stammer

I particularly appreciated the warmth conveyed through the illustrations by Felipe Calv; the cozy colours and expressive faces do a great job of guiding the emotional journey of the story. Even if a child isn't yet able to fully grasp the language, they can follow the emotional ups and downs visually.

In a note at the end of the book Nixon reveals that she stammers herself, which made me wonder if the reassurance given in the story is something she may have longed to hear as a child. She also provides parents with accessible and useful suggestions to help guide children through similar challenges, with the hope of averting crises rather than intensifying them.

Overall, this is a thoughtful, heartfelt and positive book to help children feel more at ease talking about their speech differences and interacting with others. I would definitely encourage parents to read it with their children early on, as it could help to normalise stammering, foster empathy and help break down the stigma before children face these issues outside the safe space of home. It also lays the groundwork for important life lessons: acceptance of self and others, resilience and the value of kind friendships.

Sydney's Special Voice by Kelly Nixon is out now and available to buy on paperback from Amazon.

A big thank you to Srishti for reviewing this book for STAMMA.

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