CHRISTAL Coping with Spina Bifida, by Karen Snyder Travis. ISBN 9780828320627, $9.95 Within an hour after she was born, Christal underwent major surgery. They had to connect all the nerves in the spinal column to their various organs and muscles. It was one of many operations this little girl would face. She learned to walk at the age of twelve months with the aid of a child-sized walker. Throughout the book you are a witness to her determination, such as learning how to roller skate and even to become a cheerleader. The book is a testimony to the care of her parents and those who helped her learn to live with and to cope with Spina Bifida.