#characterswithdisabilities

[simplydifferentkidlit-blog]

We’re All Wonders

Written and illustrated by: R.J. Palacio

Publish date: March 2017

Publisher: Random House Children’s Books

Summary: Auggie Pullman and his sidekick Daisy (a black and yellow dog) share adventures throughout a big city. Auggie is a boy who likes ice cream, riding his bike and play ball but he is far from ordinary. He does not look like other kids, which causes him to be very different. He has a physical disability versus something internal.

Illustrations: The illustrations in this book are bright and culturally responsive. There are children with headscarves, african americans, girls with purple hair, freckles, and glasses. When the written text is talking about something uncomfortable for Auggie, there is a change from the bright colors to black swirls or more blank white to the page. The mood changes with the text. The author uses large text to explain something exciting or BIG. She also puts the text in a variety of different places along the pages. This makes for a friendly book for all ages.

Reflection: After reading Wonder, I found this book to be the abridged version for children. It teaches the reader that not everyone looks the same. The difference in appearance can be difficult to understand and hurtful if not respected.

“But some people don’t see that I’m a wonder. All they see is how different I look. Sometimes they stare at me. They point or laugh. They even say mean things behind my back. But I can hear them.”

For a younger audience, I think this book is perfect to teach how to be kind to others. I like that the author created this book for a contrasting crowd, related to Wonder.

Classroom Application: K-2 grades: discussion on how we can be kind to different people by making a chart. Then talk about how being kind can change the world (by making another list). After class discussion, students can make a “Wonder” mini book describing how they are a wonder. They can also tell the world how they are going to be kind in order to change the environment around them. This book is great for a younger crowd.

[simplydifferentkidlit-blog]

I love Saturdays y domingos

Written by: Alma Flor Ada

Illustrated by: Elivia Savadier

Publication date: 2002

Antheneum Books for Young Readers

Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing

Summary: A young girl describes her weekends spent with her two sets of grandparents, both from two very different cultures, but share common bonds in things she does with each set. The comparisons and similarities draw the reader into the wonderful story of a love for the weekends with two sets of loving grandparents.

Illustrators illustrations: The illustrator has a fabulous way of finding details to foster the written text. Each page explodes with color. The two different cultures mesh together. In reference to the pages about the Grandfather’s or “Abuelito’s” one Grandfather shows the young girl his aquarium and the other brings her to the seashore. Both pictures have detail, pulling the reader into the story, almost like watching through a window.

Author’s Writing: In my school district, there is a high population of native spanish speakers. The author using both English and Spanish text to recite the story. For instance, when counting, the author uses English and Spanish to compare across pages. When describing the Grandmother’s, the author uses both languages “Grandma has a tabby cat. Her name is Taffy.” In similarity, she uses Spanish too, “Abuelita has a dog. His name is Canelo.” The setup of how the author tells the story is fun and predictable. Children know what to expect as they read. Teachers can use this predictability to their advantage!

Reflection: I love how the two cultures blend together as one family. The little girl finds love and encouragement in each side of her heritage. I find that this story brings a happy twists on living biculturally. Often times there is a problem in a story but instead, this only focuses on the joy of each difference.

[aeichel26-blog]

       Robb, D., Gail P. (Illus.), (2004). The Alphabet War: A Story About Dyslexia. Illinois: Albert Whitman & Company. The Alphabet War is Adam's story and his struggles with learning due to his dyslexia. He loves stories, but his inability to make sense of words on a page discourages him from ever learning. He describes his difficulty as being tormented with vowels by an evil king. Adam is undiagnosed until the third grade, and from that moment on things begin to look up. It is difficult to undo all of the pain that Adam has suffered in the past due to his disability, but with a teacher that cares and strategies to work on, reading becomes possible.

       I really enjoyed this book because of the positive message it sends. It does not try to sugar coat the seriousness of dyslexia, but presents the material in a respectful and accurate way. What I loved most about this book is that it discusses the importance of rebuilding Adam's confidence. I work in a school where many students have been broken by past school experiences. They have been forced to feel that they are inadequate because of a learning disability, and that they can not learn. I believe it is so very important to build up a students confidence in order to foster a love of learning.

       In the classroom: This is a book I would definitely have on my classroom bookshelf. Not only does it send a great message to students, but it also has many teaching points. The most evident teaching point throughout the book is the use of similes. The author uses many similes to compare dyslexia to relatable things so that students who do not have this disability can understand what it's like. Fiction. AE.

[aeichel26-blog]

       Lakin, P., Robert. S. (Illus.), (1994). Dad and Me In the Morning. Illinois: Albert Whitman & Company. Jacob is awoken early one morning by his special flashing alarm clock, he puts in his hearing aides and hurries out of bed to wake his father. Together, the two of them enjoying the quiet of the morning, walk down to the beach together. Jacob and his father have a lot of special ways of talking to each other. They sign, and read lips, or they understand one another by just squeezing each others hands. The two of them enjoy the peacefulness of the morning, watching the sunrise together.

       I enjoyed this book because of its calming nature. You can't help but feel relaxed while reading the text and looking at the illustrations. I also loved that you could really tell that the father and son had a strong, loving relationship. It was revealed through so many little instances that they had an unbreakable bond. What I liked most about this text is that Jacob's disability is only touched upon. It is not made into the center of the story. When you finish this book, you walk away with a delightful story of a father and son enjoying a sunrise with one another. It is not a story that focus's on Jacobs deafness.

       In the classroom: While I enjoyed this book, it was a lovely read and the illustrations were beautiful, I'm not sure I would use it within the classroom. There weren't any strong teaching points that I felt had to be identified throughout the book. It could be used as a book just for the sake of reading though because it does have a lot of beautiful imagery that is worth seeing. Fiction. AE. 

[aeichel26-blog]

       Seeger, P., Jacobs, P., Gregory C., (2006). The Deaf Musicians. New York: The Penguin Group. The Deaf Musicians is a story about Lee the piano man who played his piano “snazzy style” in a jazz club. Unfortunately, Lee lost his hearing and his bandleader was forced to let him go when he started playing out of tune. Instead of being discouraged by his new disability, Lee took the opportunity to attend a school for the deaf and possibly learn something new. At his new school, he meets Max who also used to be a musician. Lee and Max would play the notes of their instruments on the subway through the use of sign language. Eventually they recruited two additional members to their “Deaf Musicians” band and they would perform to onlookers on the subways. Lee thought he would never be able to perform music again, but he was wrong! Everyone wanted to hear from the Deaf Musicians.

       I liked this book because like so many other books that portray characters with disabilities, it delivers a positive and important message – to never give up on your dreams no matter what obstacles arise. I was so fascinated by the fact that these musicians were all deaf, but could hear the music in their minds through the use of sign language. It really serves to prove that anything is possible. I think all students could identify with this book, deaf or not. It may give a student the courage to try something new that they didn't think they could excel at.

       In the classroom: Besides being a fun book to read, The Deaf Musicians has several teaching points. Teachers can use the language in the book to teach sound words: “plink-a-plink-BOMP-plink-plink Yimba-timba-TANG-zang-zang.” Students can use the book as an example text to write their own sound words to describe something. Students can also do further research into deaf musicians. There are so many people out there who are moved by the power of music, that regardless of their loss of hearing they are able to hear the music. I also think this book can be used to enforce the message of never giving up. Even though his bandleader told him that no one would listen to a deaf musician, Lee never gave up hope! That is such an important lesson for students to learn and hold onto. Fiction. AE.

[aeichel26-blog]

       Liao, J., (2006). The Sound of Colors: A Journey of the Imagination. New York: Time Warner Book Group. The Sound of Colors: A Journey of the Imagination is the story of a girl who has lost her sight and her journey to finding what she lost.The story follows the unnamed character down onto the subway platform where she wonders where she would go if all the subway tracks in the world were joined together. Throughout the story our character imagines what the world is like when she exits at each stop. She imagines elephants, and a forest covered in golden leaves. She imagines picking apples that smell sweet and red. Again the train picks her up and she imagines stepping out into an ocean, and wonders what would happen if she stepped off the last stair, but nothing was there. She hopes the air would teach her how to fly the way it teaches birds. The story continues in this way until towards the end when the character hears a butterfly flapping its wings and she follows it through the city, “because I think she can show me where I could find a juicy red apple or a single golden leaf. She'll take me to the friend I need to find. She'll lead me to the place where all the colors are. She'll bring me back to the light that I lost, still glowing here, in my heart.”

       I loved this book so much. It may even be my favorite that I have reviewed so far. I enjoyed the idea of the subway taking her anywhere she wants to go, and her imagination fueling the journey. The illustrations that accompany the text are beautiful and filled with color – something our character is unable to see. I also loved how the character is in the search of something she lost, but she knows the colors are still in her heart. The message throughout the book of never giving up is extremely strong, as we witness the character making the most of her disability.

       In the classroom: I think children across many grade levels would enjoy this book because of its vivid illustrations and use of imagination. Students can take this book and do writing pieces to try and describe things as if they didn't have their sight. They can also use the book as a starting point to writing their own imaginative story about the places they would go if they could go anywhere. Pages can be copied from the book without text and students can use the pictures to write their own text describing it. There is a lot that can be done with this book and it can be used and adapted in lower and upper elementary classrooms. Fiction. AE.

[aeichel26-blog]

       Willis, J., Tony, R. (Illus.), (1999). Susan Laughs. New York: Henry Hold and Company. Susan Laughs is a story, told through poem, about all of the things Susan can do. “Susan laughs, she sings, she rides, she swings. She gets angry, she gets sad, she is good, she is bad.” While reading the book, readers have no insight that Susan is any different than the average child. On the final page of the book it is revealed that Susan, unlike most children, requires the use of a wheelchair. The moral of this story upon conclusion is that Susan, regardless of her disability, is just like any other child. The final page of the book reads: “That is Susan through and through – just like me, just like you.”

       I liked this book because although it is simple, it has a strong and important message. The message is what makes the book worth reading. It is a fun read with poetic rhyme scheme accompanied by great pictures. I especially liked the illustrations because you can see the emotions that match the text on Susan's face throughout the pages. What I loved most is that Susan is a little girl that most kids can relate to. Her actions and her reactions, her thoughts and emotions, are all similar to things every child experiences.

       In the classroom: Susan Laughs would be a great book to use with younger children to reinforce the idea that disabilities don't define a person. You can find great similarities within a person who may outwardly appear different. This book can also be used to introduce poems to early elementary grades. The language is simple and their aren't too many words on the pages. The rhyme scheme is clear and easy to hear throughout the book, therefore this would be a good introductory text to a study on poems. Fiction. AE.

[aeichel26-blog]

       Moore, G., Karin, L. (Illus.), (2010). Catherine's Story. London: Frances Lincoln Children's Books. “This is a story about a very special girl, Catherine – and it's a very special book too. It's warm and sensitive about a child with disabilities, but gently subversive too. It's a delightful positive happy story, beautifully produced and illustrated. It belongs on every nursery and infant school bookshelf.” That is the beautifully written Foreward of this book that introduces us to Catherine's Story. The book is told through a conversation between Catherine's father and her cousin, Frances. Catherine's father describes that Catherine's clap is special because they're tiny, little claps that are so quiet no one has ever heard them. He says her walk is special because she wears special walking boots, that no other kids can walk in. Her lack of speech is special, because she listens really really hard instead. Most importantly, Catherine makes her father feel special because he can call her his littler girl.

       The story is loosely based on the authors experience with her own niece. Although the character Catherine's disability is not specified throughout the book, we learn in an authors note at the conclusion of the book that the story is based on a child who suffered from a form of epilepsy. I liked this book specifically because Catherine's disability is unknown. All we know is that she is different, but she is special in her own way. Catherine's Story promotes acceptance of others regardless of difference. I also loved the unconditional love that we see from her father, and the bond that the two share with one another. It is an unspoken bond but as readers we can tell that it is strong. Another thing that I enjoyed were the pictures throughout the book. The illustrations themselves are beautifully done, but the representation of Catherine was what I most enjoyed. She was depicted as a happy and loving girl, and her disability was represented in a sensitive manner.

       In the classroom: Just like the foreward said, Catherine's Story is a book that should find its place on all nursery book shelves. It is a great story for younger children to be exposed to to shed light on children with disabilities. It is a positive book that focus’s more on how Catherine is special rather than different. The book can be used in early grades to foster acceptance and tolerance. Fiction. AE.