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Piece by Piece: How I Built My Life
The heartfelt and funny memoir of a boy who built himself a prosthetic arm out of the world-famous toy bricks. David Aguilar was born missing part of one arm, a small detail that seemed to define his life and limit people’s ideas of who he was and who he could be. But in this funny and heartfelt memoir, David proves that he can throw out the rulebook and people’s expectations and maybe even make a difference in the world―and all with a sense of humor. At only nine years old, David built his first prosthesis from LEGO bricks, and since then he hasn’t stopped creating and thinking about how his inventions, born from a passion for building things, could fuel change and help others. With a voice full of humor and heart, David tells his powerful story, of family and friendship, of heartbreak and loss, and ultimately of triumph and success, as he continues to dream big and build a life and a better world―piece by piece.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
January 2, 2023
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
David was born in the early 2000s in Andorra. His right arm was not fully formed, ending with truncated digits at elbow level. The family later found out this was Poland syndrome, which also affected his chest muscles. His parents and grandparents were glad that he was healthy, and vowed to support him and make sure he was a successful person. David tells his story about growing up, facing challenges, and makes it very clear that in his mind, he isn't "lacking" anything.
His parents did contact Dr. Doncel, whose daughter had a similarly formed arm, and were helped a lot by her support. His father often adapted things for him, like his bicycle, and the family installed a heated pool at their home so that he could swim. Where David often didn't find support was with his classmates. One girl, with whom he was very good friends, refused to go out with him because his arm freaked her out, and he was repeatedly bullied by a boy named Jordi. Because of his strong background of support, David was able to work through how these tough relationship made him feel. He decided early on to maintain a positive attitude, which shows through strongly in this memoir.
At the age of nine, David, who was enthralled with Legos, built himself a prosthetic arm. It was a great accomplishment, but wasn't as useful as he hoped. He continued to work on it, and eventually made himself a prosthetic that worked very well. His father contacted the LEGO company, and David soon acchieved some fame for his work. This led to other opportunities, and as a young man, he has many choices available to him thanks to his ingenuity and work ethic.
The story isn't entirely linear, and we do see some of the same events repeatedly discussed. the chapters often end with a cliff hanger tone.
Readers who found Bowling's Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus interesting will be glad to pick up this nonfiction account of someone dealing with limb differences. Reeve's Born Just Right offers another view of a similar difference. I'm not sure that David himself would like the term "Disability Pride Month", which is celebrated in July, but there are not that many memoirs about teens and young adults who have overcome significant physical challenges, so this would be a great choice for readers who want to explore others' experiences and want something longer than Clark's Zion Unmatched.
David's story certainly deserves five stars, but the way the book is written dropped this to three.
David was born in the early 2000s in Andorra. His right arm was not fully formed, ending with truncated digits at elbow level. The family later found out this was Poland syndrome, which also affected his chest muscles. His parents and grandparents were glad that he was healthy, and vowed to support him and make sure he was a successful person. David tells his story about growing up, facing challenges, and makes it very clear that in his mind, he isn't "lacking" anything.
His parents did contact Dr. Doncel, whose daughter had a similarly formed arm, and were helped a lot by her support. His father often adapted things for him, like his bicycle, and the family installed a heated pool at their home so that he could swim. Where David often didn't find support was with his classmates. One girl, with whom he was very good friends, refused to go out with him because his arm freaked her out, and he was repeatedly bullied by a boy named Jordi. Because of his strong background of support, David was able to work through how these tough relationship made him feel. He decided early on to maintain a positive attitude, which shows through strongly in this memoir.
At the age of nine, David, who was enthralled with Legos, built himself a prosthetic arm. It was a great accomplishment, but wasn't as useful as he hoped. He continued to work on it, and eventually made himself a prosthetic that worked very well. His father contacted the LEGO company, and David soon acchieved some fame for his work. This led to other opportunities, and as a young man, he has many choices available to him thanks to his ingenuity and work ethic.
The story isn't entirely linear, and we do see some of the same events repeatedly discussed. the chapters often end with a cliff hanger tone.
Readers who found Bowling's Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus interesting will be glad to pick up this nonfiction account of someone dealing with limb differences. Reeve's Born Just Right offers another view of a similar difference. I'm not sure that David himself would like the term "Disability Pride Month", which is celebrated in July, but there are not that many memoirs about teens and young adults who have overcome significant physical challenges, so this would be a great choice for readers who want to explore others' experiences and want something longer than Clark's Zion Unmatched.
David's story certainly deserves five stars, but the way the book is written dropped this to three.
May 11, 2023
Not enough material
This story would have made a great long form article (and it has) but there really isn't enough for a full book.
The author also has a super annoying habit of giving spoilers for his own book. It's chaotic and choppy and leans a little too heavily on the superhero metaphors.
Having said all of that, the guy does great work for disability awareness and anti-bullying.
This story would have made a great long form article (and it has) but there really isn't enough for a full book.
The author also has a super annoying habit of giving spoilers for his own book. It's chaotic and choppy and leans a little too heavily on the superhero metaphors.
Having said all of that, the guy does great work for disability awareness and anti-bullying.
October 29, 2022
David and Ferran Aguilar are from Andorra, a microstate on the Iberian Peninsula, in the eastern Pyrenees, bordered by France to the north and Spain to the South. David was born with Poland syndrome, a rare disease that left him without a forearm. Piece by Piece is a memoir that details David's life from the moment he is born, to around the age of eighteen or nineteen. The story is written in conjunction with David's father and includes both their fears, anxieties and hopes for his future as well as reflections on the authors own experiences, and feelings growing up.
The story is told with a lot of humor and is a very engrossing read. There is a wonderful balance between explaining David's struggles growing up, the ignorance of adults, stares, and insults at school, with the publicity he received from having designed a prosthesis from LEGO bricks at the age of nine. Sharing both the highs and lows in his life. I found the chronology of events to be occasionally hard to follow, as David would start to tell a story, only to say he was getting ahead of himself, and then jump back to a different event, making it hard to interpret his age for when certain things happened. But overall, it's an amazing story, an inspiring story of resilience and perseverance.
David's family was so loving and supportive, especially his grandmother who refused to think of David's loss of a limb as a tragedy. Both David and his father have a wonderful relationship, they constantly redefined and adjusted to changes in David's life and the things he needed to accomplish on a daily basis. His father even learned to adapt both his initial thoughts of the things that David wouldn't be able to do, into modifying a bicycle to allow him to live "without limits." His father's adaptive devices were remarkably inventive. Included within the book are color photographs of David with his family, images of the numerous awards and recognitions that he received for his LEGO prothesis constructions. His trip to NASA, feature in National Geographic and the movie Mr. Hand Solo that also details his life were nicely depicted. David is a remarkable individual and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his story, it's a compelling story with the message of not being limited by other people's thinking, to strive toward accomplishing your dreams and overcoming any obstacles in your way. **A huge thank you to Barbara Finch at Blue Slip Media for the E-ARC.**
The story is told with a lot of humor and is a very engrossing read. There is a wonderful balance between explaining David's struggles growing up, the ignorance of adults, stares, and insults at school, with the publicity he received from having designed a prosthesis from LEGO bricks at the age of nine. Sharing both the highs and lows in his life. I found the chronology of events to be occasionally hard to follow, as David would start to tell a story, only to say he was getting ahead of himself, and then jump back to a different event, making it hard to interpret his age for when certain things happened. But overall, it's an amazing story, an inspiring story of resilience and perseverance.
David's family was so loving and supportive, especially his grandmother who refused to think of David's loss of a limb as a tragedy. Both David and his father have a wonderful relationship, they constantly redefined and adjusted to changes in David's life and the things he needed to accomplish on a daily basis. His father even learned to adapt both his initial thoughts of the things that David wouldn't be able to do, into modifying a bicycle to allow him to live "without limits." His father's adaptive devices were remarkably inventive. Included within the book are color photographs of David with his family, images of the numerous awards and recognitions that he received for his LEGO prothesis constructions. His trip to NASA, feature in National Geographic and the movie Mr. Hand Solo that also details his life were nicely depicted. David is a remarkable individual and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his story, it's a compelling story with the message of not being limited by other people's thinking, to strive toward accomplishing your dreams and overcoming any obstacles in your way. **A huge thank you to Barbara Finch at Blue Slip Media for the E-ARC.**
October 30, 2022
A fantastic read for young and old alike that highlights that challenges give us the chance to preserve and overcome adversity. Self-actualization is key to achieving what others think isn't possible. Good book to start the discussion on ingenuity and optimism in the face of assumptions and stigmas surrounding those who are different or labeled as "disabled". Humorously written with great personal insights. Good reread value and perfect for a book club or discussion group. Aimed at upper elementary to beginning high school level readers. I'm recommending this to our school library and ELA teachers!
December 13, 2022
Interesting memoir of a young man’s unique vision and design of a LEGO prosthesis which he first imagined at age nine and his social/emotional struggles as a younger student. Aguilar’s father’s love and ceaseless support of his son’s “diff-ability” demonstrates a strong family bond. This book is more of a YA story. What seemed to get tedious was the author’s constant short digressions, then writing “ok I’ll talk more about this later.”
May 5, 2023
On Amazon, this was labeled as a children's book. It is an autobiography (with father) of a child growing up with only one arm, and how he built prosthetics out of Lego parts. Interesting. Story bounced around a little.
April 21, 2023
Incredible story just not written in my style.
April 24, 2023
David y su familia son increíbles, y ésta es su historia. Un ejemplo de superación, de resiliencia y de amor.
May 19, 2023
A moving coming of age story of a boy from Andorra who was born with a not fully developed right arm - a half-arm, a disability what he prefers to call diff-ability. He was blessed with a loving family and a passion for LEGO. He constructed his first prosthetic arm from Legos at the mere age of 9 but he just did it as a fun project, he did not really feel he needed it. He picked up this project again only many years later, while he was repeating the last year of high school and the new prosthetic LEGO arm was much more advanced. He named it MK-1. His father shared it on social media and he became a local celebrity in Andorra, was invited to participate in Lego Education and talk at NASA. He developed more and more advanced models up to MK-5 (at least that's the last one in the book). After the graduation he went on to study bioengineering to help other people like him.
But the book is not as much about building an prosthetic arm from Legos, as about David's life, as the subtitle correctly says. It's about accepting his difference, dealing with all the attention and questions, dealing with the bullies, with all kinds of detonators the life threw his way. At some places it felt a bit like a self-help book written for kids and adolescents, but overall it was not disturbing me much and I would recommend this book to people of all ages.
For me personally, it was also really interesting to visit Andorra by book. It's a very tiny country with a population of a medium size town. I think the translator did a great job by keeping some terms unchanged - it really gave a better sense of the place. I mostly listened to the audiobook and I want to compliment the narrator as well - the way he pronounced those unchanged words, said "Barcelona" and imitated the French accent added to the sense of Andorra, as well.
In the beginning the book seemed a bit like LEGO pieces scattered around - the authors were jumping timelines and stories; but I must admit they managed to put those LEGO pieces together at the end.
But the book is not as much about building an prosthetic arm from Legos, as about David's life, as the subtitle correctly says. It's about accepting his difference, dealing with all the attention and questions, dealing with the bullies, with all kinds of detonators the life threw his way. At some places it felt a bit like a self-help book written for kids and adolescents, but overall it was not disturbing me much and I would recommend this book to people of all ages.
For me personally, it was also really interesting to visit Andorra by book. It's a very tiny country with a population of a medium size town. I think the translator did a great job by keeping some terms unchanged - it really gave a better sense of the place. I mostly listened to the audiobook and I want to compliment the narrator as well - the way he pronounced those unchanged words, said "Barcelona" and imitated the French accent added to the sense of Andorra, as well.
In the beginning the book seemed a bit like LEGO pieces scattered around - the authors were jumping timelines and stories; but I must admit they managed to put those LEGO pieces together at the end.
May 14, 2023
Persistence and family love
This is, in no small part, a love letter to his family, as shown here:
"I won’t get into whether what I’d done was impressive. I think over all these pages you’ve been able to see I haven’t been the best judge of myself. What is obvious is there aren’t words or pages enough to describe or explain how I feel about everything my father has done and does for me. How much the help and support I’ve gotten from my mom and dad means to me. How much the overflowing love I’ve received from everyone means to me."
The book chronicles key moments in the author's life starting at birth. There's a recurring theme of "wait 'til you see what happens next!" teasers that grew old quickly. Reading the Amazon page that this is intended for 10 and up may help explain it, but I remain in the show, don't tell camp.
He recounts his family, including him, gradually learning his abilities and skills as he grows, with a healthy appetite for LEGO from the start, another recurring theme.
Overall, this is a lovely tale of persistence and determination.
This is, in no small part, a love letter to his family, as shown here:
"I won’t get into whether what I’d done was impressive. I think over all these pages you’ve been able to see I haven’t been the best judge of myself. What is obvious is there aren’t words or pages enough to describe or explain how I feel about everything my father has done and does for me. How much the help and support I’ve gotten from my mom and dad means to me. How much the overflowing love I’ve received from everyone means to me."
The book chronicles key moments in the author's life starting at birth. There's a recurring theme of "wait 'til you see what happens next!" teasers that grew old quickly. Reading the Amazon page that this is intended for 10 and up may help explain it, but I remain in the show, don't tell camp.
He recounts his family, including him, gradually learning his abilities and skills as he grows, with a healthy appetite for LEGO from the start, another recurring theme.
Overall, this is a lovely tale of persistence and determination.
January 25, 2023
This memoir about David’s early life growing up with one arm and overcoming everything that others, and sometimes himself, thought he couldn’t do is not only a great read, but it is hilarious too. It is an extra plus that this book was a memoir, written by David, as it gave true insight and his voice was a pleasure!
As you read, you will enter into David’s family and get to know all who love him and help him navigate our able bodied-centered world. He tells his story with grace and humor. The anecdotes of his life add a deeper connection from reader to David and by the end you truly feel like you know him.
On top of that, David is a fantastic engineer, inventor, and imagineer! Anyone reading will be so fascinated with what he builds and accomplishes.
Full review with teaching tools: https://www.unleashingreaders.com/25831
As you read, you will enter into David’s family and get to know all who love him and help him navigate our able bodied-centered world. He tells his story with grace and humor. The anecdotes of his life add a deeper connection from reader to David and by the end you truly feel like you know him.
On top of that, David is a fantastic engineer, inventor, and imagineer! Anyone reading will be so fascinated with what he builds and accomplishes.
Full review with teaching tools: https://www.unleashingreaders.com/25831
May 27, 2023
Heart felt yes. Funny no. I really appreciate this perspective tho. I sometimes find it hard to put myself in others shoes, so the idea that we're all missing an 11th finger was the perfect analogy. However, the book felt too long for its content and felt somewhat disingenuous how the author made it seem like he knew what he was doing the whole time.
November 23, 2022
I look down at the ratings, and honestly, I am not sure how this can get less than 4 stars. This story is powerful and heartfelt. How a family can help support a child and make them feel like they can achieve anything. Then to reach the final words at the end; this left me in happy tears.
May 19, 2023
The basic story of him creating a functional LEGO prosthetic arm is really cool. But the book itself is poorly written and poorly edited. The story jumped all over the place and most of it just wasn't interesting. I wish I'd just read an article about him.
May 30, 2023
I read this book for the story, not the writing. It’s inspiring but not an exciting read.
November 18, 2023
Lubisz konstruować w klocków LEGO? Udało Ci się zbudować coś naprawdę ekstra?
Ja swego czasu zaczęłam budować bukiet LEGO, ale później zaczęło mi na to brakować czasu, aż koniec końcom zestaw oddałam. Jednak ostatnio rozmawialiśmy z mężem, że chętnie byśmy coś razem zbudowali, więc może powstanie jakieś model samochodu 😜
Jednak kwiatki, czy samochody to nic w porównaniu z ręką, a nawet i całym życiem które zbudował sobie za pomocą klocków LEGO David Aguilar bohater książki „Życie z klocków”. Obecnie student bioinżynierii, który chce współtworzyć z klocków przedmioty, które ułatwią życie innym.
Historia Davida, czyli chłopaka, który urodził się bez ręki jest nie tylko ciekawa, ale i niezwykle inspirująca. Każda strona udowadnia, że niemożliwe nie istnieje, a jedyne ograniczenia to te w naszej głowie.
David to osoba, która codziennie musiała walczyć o siebie, toczyć nieustające bitwy z uprzedzeniami, czy lękiem przed odmiennością. Pomimo przeciwności losu nie poddawał się i zaskakiwał swoją rodzinę, która wspierała jego pomysły i działania najmocniej z całych sił. To tak naprawdę właśnie rodzina odegrała w jego życiu kluczową rolę. Rodzice musieli wychować Davida wśród niechęci, stereotypów i ogólnego podcinania Davidowi skrzydeł przez otoczenie. Jednak to oni nie dali Davidowi nigdy odczuć, że jest odmienny i wraz z nim podążali drogą, którą obrał ich syn, aby mógł się stać inspiracją dla miliona osób.
„Życie z klocków” to kawałek dobrej motywacji i inspiracji do tego, aby gonić swoje marzenia. Jednak jest to także książka, która zmusza do refleksji nad niepełnosprawnością i tym jak osoby niepełnosprawne są traktowane przez społeczeństwo. Czasami może nawet nieświadomie społeczeństwo wyklucza je z różnych czynności uważając takie osoby za słabsze. Jednak fakt, że nie posiadają ręki, nogi, itp nie oznacza że nie mogą zagrać w piłkę, iść na basen… Świat przed takimi osobami także stoi otworem!
Ja swego czasu zaczęłam budować bukiet LEGO, ale później zaczęło mi na to brakować czasu, aż koniec końcom zestaw oddałam. Jednak ostatnio rozmawialiśmy z mężem, że chętnie byśmy coś razem zbudowali, więc może powstanie jakieś model samochodu 😜
Jednak kwiatki, czy samochody to nic w porównaniu z ręką, a nawet i całym życiem które zbudował sobie za pomocą klocków LEGO David Aguilar bohater książki „Życie z klocków”. Obecnie student bioinżynierii, który chce współtworzyć z klocków przedmioty, które ułatwią życie innym.
Historia Davida, czyli chłopaka, który urodził się bez ręki jest nie tylko ciekawa, ale i niezwykle inspirująca. Każda strona udowadnia, że niemożliwe nie istnieje, a jedyne ograniczenia to te w naszej głowie.
David to osoba, która codziennie musiała walczyć o siebie, toczyć nieustające bitwy z uprzedzeniami, czy lękiem przed odmiennością. Pomimo przeciwności losu nie poddawał się i zaskakiwał swoją rodzinę, która wspierała jego pomysły i działania najmocniej z całych sił. To tak naprawdę właśnie rodzina odegrała w jego życiu kluczową rolę. Rodzice musieli wychować Davida wśród niechęci, stereotypów i ogólnego podcinania Davidowi skrzydeł przez otoczenie. Jednak to oni nie dali Davidowi nigdy odczuć, że jest odmienny i wraz z nim podążali drogą, którą obrał ich syn, aby mógł się stać inspiracją dla miliona osób.
„Życie z klocków” to kawałek dobrej motywacji i inspiracji do tego, aby gonić swoje marzenia. Jednak jest to także książka, która zmusza do refleksji nad niepełnosprawnością i tym jak osoby niepełnosprawne są traktowane przez społeczeństwo. Czasami może nawet nieświadomie społeczeństwo wyklucza je z różnych czynności uważając takie osoby za słabsze. Jednak fakt, że nie posiadają ręki, nogi, itp nie oznacza że nie mogą zagrać w piłkę, iść na basen… Świat przed takimi osobami także stoi otworem!
November 20, 2023
Życie z klocków
Układaliście lego za dzieciaka? A może dalej to robicie?
Śmiesznie się złożyło, ponieważ mój powrót do układania klocków w miarę pokrył się z przeczytaniem tej pozycji.
David rodzi się bez ręki. I od małego każdy patrzy na niego z politowaniem. Potem ze zmieszaniem. Aż gdy wchodzi w „brutalny” okres szkolny zaczyna się pogarda. Odrzucenie i obrzydzenie. Mimo, iż tytuł traktuje o klockach, to przez większość czasu opisane są jego zmagania z odrzuceniem, z wmawianą mu innością. A on i jego ojciec, cały czas pozytywnie utrzymują, że jest kompletny. Wspaniały i wystarczający. Bo nam jakoś nie brakuje jedenastego palca prawda?
Czytając, czułam się trochę jak podczas lektury „Cudownego chłopaka”. Tyle, że historia Davida jest prawdziwa. Tak samo jak prawdziwa jest jego niesamowicie tu opisana relacja z ojcem. Tata, który popłakał się myśląc, że nigdy nie pojedzie z synem na rower. A potem zbudował rower specjalnie dla syna. Ta opowieść stanowi niezwykłą inspirację. Wzrusza do głębi.
A wszystko to jest napisane z perspektywy, gdy David jest już dorosły. Mówi nam, że tak były potknięcia, upadki, że było wiele ciężaru, ale to dzięki temu zrobił to co zrobił. A zaczęło się w wieku 9 lat, gdy pierwszy raz zbudował rękę z klocków lego. Cały czas nad sobą pracował, składał klocki jedną ręką, tak by w końcu złożyć dla siebie w pełni funkcjonalną protezę. Cały proces, przez który przeszedł ten młody człowiek jest tu niesamowicie opisany.
Jest to jego autobiografia, którą pomagał mu pisać, zawsze wspierający go ojciec. Jednak z humorem głównego bohatera, czyta się to jak raczej powieść o młodym, ambitnym człowieku, z marzeniami i planami. Dlatego nie zapominajcie!! Jego historia to sama prawda, a Wy także MOŻECIE WSZYSTKO!!
Układaliście lego za dzieciaka? A może dalej to robicie?
Śmiesznie się złożyło, ponieważ mój powrót do układania klocków w miarę pokrył się z przeczytaniem tej pozycji.
David rodzi się bez ręki. I od małego każdy patrzy na niego z politowaniem. Potem ze zmieszaniem. Aż gdy wchodzi w „brutalny” okres szkolny zaczyna się pogarda. Odrzucenie i obrzydzenie. Mimo, iż tytuł traktuje o klockach, to przez większość czasu opisane są jego zmagania z odrzuceniem, z wmawianą mu innością. A on i jego ojciec, cały czas pozytywnie utrzymują, że jest kompletny. Wspaniały i wystarczający. Bo nam jakoś nie brakuje jedenastego palca prawda?
Czytając, czułam się trochę jak podczas lektury „Cudownego chłopaka”. Tyle, że historia Davida jest prawdziwa. Tak samo jak prawdziwa jest jego niesamowicie tu opisana relacja z ojcem. Tata, który popłakał się myśląc, że nigdy nie pojedzie z synem na rower. A potem zbudował rower specjalnie dla syna. Ta opowieść stanowi niezwykłą inspirację. Wzrusza do głębi.
A wszystko to jest napisane z perspektywy, gdy David jest już dorosły. Mówi nam, że tak były potknięcia, upadki, że było wiele ciężaru, ale to dzięki temu zrobił to co zrobił. A zaczęło się w wieku 9 lat, gdy pierwszy raz zbudował rękę z klocków lego. Cały czas nad sobą pracował, składał klocki jedną ręką, tak by w końcu złożyć dla siebie w pełni funkcjonalną protezę. Cały proces, przez który przeszedł ten młody człowiek jest tu niesamowicie opisany.
Jest to jego autobiografia, którą pomagał mu pisać, zawsze wspierający go ojciec. Jednak z humorem głównego bohatera, czyta się to jak raczej powieść o młodym, ambitnym człowieku, z marzeniami i planami. Dlatego nie zapominajcie!! Jego historia to sama prawda, a Wy także MOŻECIE WSZYSTKO!!
June 15, 2023
Disabled? No. Diff-abled? Yes. This is how David Aguilar sees himself. But his positive outlook has only happened after years of bullying, determination, and persistence.
David, of Andorra, Spain, was born with Poland’s Syndrome, a rare condition that left him with an underdeveloped right arm. His “bracito”–as he and his family have named it–might be small, but it has presented its share of challenges and shaped their lives in ways they never expected.
But first, let’s take a look at the book’s cover. That’s not Tony Stark. It’s David, with the fifth prosthetic arm he designed. Does he need it? No. But society responds to symmetry, and it was that pressure–plus his innate talent–that led David to create the world’s first prosthetic arm built entirely of LEGOs. Yes, you read that correctly. LEGOs.
Piece by Piece is David’s story from birth to the present. We learn of the obstacles he faced, he incredibly supportive family, and where he is now. A charming, witty, sensitive young man, you will root for David all the way. This was a great read!
David, of Andorra, Spain, was born with Poland’s Syndrome, a rare condition that left him with an underdeveloped right arm. His “bracito”–as he and his family have named it–might be small, but it has presented its share of challenges and shaped their lives in ways they never expected.
But first, let’s take a look at the book’s cover. That’s not Tony Stark. It’s David, with the fifth prosthetic arm he designed. Does he need it? No. But society responds to symmetry, and it was that pressure–plus his innate talent–that led David to create the world’s first prosthetic arm built entirely of LEGOs. Yes, you read that correctly. LEGOs.
Piece by Piece is David’s story from birth to the present. We learn of the obstacles he faced, he incredibly supportive family, and where he is now. A charming, witty, sensitive young man, you will root for David all the way. This was a great read!
November 30, 2023
Klocki Lego to coś ponadczasowego, poza podziałami na płeć czy wiek. Lego to kreatywność. Okazuje się też, że te pasujące ze sobą kawałki wytłoczonego plastiku mogą dosłownie odmienić życie. Tak było z Davidem, chłopcem, który urodził się z syndromem Polanda. W książce poznajemy jak jego pasja do Lego zbudowała pewność siebie oraz dosłownie zmieniła jego życie.
David naprawdę jest świetnym wzorem. Tak, bił się. Tak, wyzywał innych. Tak, załamał się. Ale wstał, podał rękę na zgodę. I to jest ważniejsze. Chciałabym, by moje dzieci właśnie tak widziały świat jak on: że wszystko da się naprawić, inaczej złożyć, dopasować. By żyły nie z piętnem własnych niedoskonałości, zgnuśniałe i niezadowolone, ale przekonane, że są wyjątkowe takie jakie są, z możliwością szlifowania tego, co potrafią już teraz. Że każda umiejętność, jaką w życiu posiadają, kiedyś może okazać się kluczowa. Trzeba tylko dostrzec możliwości i próbować, próbować, próbować!
Więcej na https://konfabula.pl/zycie-z-klockow-...
David naprawdę jest świetnym wzorem. Tak, bił się. Tak, wyzywał innych. Tak, załamał się. Ale wstał, podał rękę na zgodę. I to jest ważniejsze. Chciałabym, by moje dzieci właśnie tak widziały świat jak on: że wszystko da się naprawić, inaczej złożyć, dopasować. By żyły nie z piętnem własnych niedoskonałości, zgnuśniałe i niezadowolone, ale przekonane, że są wyjątkowe takie jakie są, z możliwością szlifowania tego, co potrafią już teraz. Że każda umiejętność, jaką w życiu posiadają, kiedyś może okazać się kluczowa. Trzeba tylko dostrzec możliwości i próbować, próbować, próbować!
Więcej na https://konfabula.pl/zycie-z-klockow-...
December 27, 2023
„Życie z klocków” to świetna historia, którą polecam każdemu. Opowiada ona o chłopaku, który w wieku dziewięciu lat sam zaprojektował sobie protezę ręki z... klocków LEGO!
Jest to niezwykle wartościowa i wzruszająca historia o kreatywnym chłopcu i jego osiągnięciach. Idealna dla fanów LEGO, ale i nie tylko. Z tej historii dowiecie się jak chłopak zapracował na współpracę z największymi firmami świata jakimi są LEGO oraz NASA i jak zyskał tak ogromną popularność.
Książka jest również pełna dobrego humoru i lekcji o poszukiwaniu siebie i o swojej wartości i wyjątkowości. Bardzo wciągnęła mnie ta pozycja i ogromnie ją polecam, jest naprawdę ciekawa i warta sięgnięcia po nią.
Istnieje wysokie prawdopodobieństwo, że po lekturze tej książki w słowie „niemożliwe” rzadziej będziesz widzieć „nie”, a zdecydowanie częściej „możliwe”!
Jest to niezwykle wartościowa i wzruszająca historia o kreatywnym chłopcu i jego osiągnięciach. Idealna dla fanów LEGO, ale i nie tylko. Z tej historii dowiecie się jak chłopak zapracował na współpracę z największymi firmami świata jakimi są LEGO oraz NASA i jak zyskał tak ogromną popularność.
Książka jest również pełna dobrego humoru i lekcji o poszukiwaniu siebie i o swojej wartości i wyjątkowości. Bardzo wciągnęła mnie ta pozycja i ogromnie ją polecam, jest naprawdę ciekawa i warta sięgnięcia po nią.
Istnieje wysokie prawdopodobieństwo, że po lekturze tej książki w słowie „niemożliwe” rzadziej będziesz widzieć „nie”, a zdecydowanie częściej „możliwe”!
June 16, 2023
Heartfelt and insightful story. I don’t read a lot of memoirs, but I enjoyed this one. Nice message about not letting a disability stop or define you. Gave me some insight and empathy into the things others go through, some of which hadn’t occurred to me before. And making prosthetics out of legos at such a young age? Super cool.
Time line jumps around a bit, which can be a little confusing, but overall this was a good read.
Content: I think there were a couple uses of the d word, but otherwise very clean.
Time line jumps around a bit, which can be a little confusing, but overall this was a good read.
Content: I think there were a couple uses of the d word, but otherwise very clean.
July 10, 2023
The Mr. Hand Solo.
The fantastic story of David Aguilar. This is a wonderful book telling David's life story, filled with his many ups and downs. From getting bullied, teased and even, yes...rejected by girls because of his birth defect. He was able to rise above it with the help of his family and friends. Not only rise above it, but thrive and set an example for others to follow. I highly recommend this book to anyone that's feeling somewhat depressed with their life and needs motivation. You won't regret it!
The fantastic story of David Aguilar. This is a wonderful book telling David's life story, filled with his many ups and downs. From getting bullied, teased and even, yes...rejected by girls because of his birth defect. He was able to rise above it with the help of his family and friends. Not only rise above it, but thrive and set an example for others to follow. I highly recommend this book to anyone that's feeling somewhat depressed with their life and needs motivation. You won't regret it!
August 29, 2023
I got this print book and was so excited. This memoir was the BEST! So inspiring for this young man to be everything he could be, without limits, inspired to design and create a prosthetic arm from Lego bricks to assist in more functions when he was only 9. Born with Poland Syndrome, he had a missing part of an arm/ hand. At 17 he used mechanical Lego bricks and built a functioning mechanical arm prosthesis. He continues to design prosthetics now using his computer. This memoir is very inspiring. It’s 5 star all the way. Highly recommended!
July 10, 2023
Such an incredible life!
Reading about David's life and ingenuity was very interesting, and I expect we'll see more of him in the future! I love all the pictures at the end of the book! The acknowledgements section is quite extensive - it was nice to see the names of all the people who have been involved in his journey.
I do wish the book was more chronological. I got confused from time to time as the story jumped around. Still, I'm glad I read it!
Reading about David's life and ingenuity was very interesting, and I expect we'll see more of him in the future! I love all the pictures at the end of the book! The acknowledgements section is quite extensive - it was nice to see the names of all the people who have been involved in his journey.
I do wish the book was more chronological. I got confused from time to time as the story jumped around. Still, I'm glad I read it!
April 25, 2023
Very impressive tale of never giving up and finding your own solutions to the problems you are dealt with. Born without a forearm, David's strong attitude lead the way to discovering how to use Legos to aid in his ability. And when Lego comes knocking on his door for future help with the prototypes it wil leave the reader with a smile on their faces. Inspiring.
April 28, 2023
Wow, David Aguilar is one amazing young man. His family is amazing too. I enjoyed this book even though I sometimes had a hard time with it. The story is wonderful and inspiring, my problem was with the repetitiveness of many of his life events. But this was easy to overlook given the interest in the rest of his life and his drive. I can see how he is an inspiration to many.
June 11, 2023
A Five Heart Book
The most amazing, inspiring book! I dare you to not cry happy tears. This story deserves a wide audience of many ages, and I’d love to see this book on a young adult summer reading list as well as a book club choice. Coming-of-age story well and humbly told. .Cool photos at the end!
The most amazing, inspiring book! I dare you to not cry happy tears. This story deserves a wide audience of many ages, and I’d love to see this book on a young adult summer reading list as well as a book club choice. Coming-of-age story well and humbly told. .Cool photos at the end!
June 14, 2023
I enjoyed this book
Written with a great tone - humor and openness. Includes lessons in overcoming adversity and the power of self reflection as well as the impact of family & friends support. I’ll never look at Legos in the same way again…made me love them even more for the amazing power of imagination!
Written with a great tone - humor and openness. Includes lessons in overcoming adversity and the power of self reflection as well as the impact of family & friends support. I’ll never look at Legos in the same way again…made me love them even more for the amazing power of imagination!
April 23, 2023
Fascinating!
I remember seeing David Aguilar and his Lego arm on the news. I found his book fascinating. It is amazing what the love, encouragement, and support from family and friends can do.
I remember seeing David Aguilar and his Lego arm on the news. I found his book fascinating. It is amazing what the love, encouragement, and support from family and friends can do.
April 23, 2023
Living Life Right!
A lovely story of a young man who created his future with the support and encouragement of his family and community. True inspiration and a reminder to not focus on what we are missing, but show others what makes us unique.
A lovely story of a young man who created his future with the support and encouragement of his family and community. True inspiration and a reminder to not focus on what we are missing, but show others what makes us unique.
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