Seed Magic by Jane Buchanan. Illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb
Picture Book
Don't let the start of this book keep you from finishing. Yes, the first page sounds insulting: "Crazy old Birdman feeding the pigeons.\Sitting in his wheelchair,\feeding the pigeons.\Smiling and laughing. "Nnn-nn-nnn." These are the words of the narrator, Rose, but her intentions are not cruel. Rose's brothers openly mock Birdman, but Rose is neither callous nor fearful. Her questions to Birdman appear to stem from a genuine desire to understand his behavior and attitudes. Birdman, in turn, takes Rose's concerns seriously. When she tells him that she sees beautiful things only in library books, never in "this dirty grey city" where she live, Birdman responds with a bit of magic. It turns out that half of Rose's statement was accurate--there *are* beautiful things to be found in library books. The story, lyrical language, and illustrations of this title are an example of that type of beauty.
Dog Finds Lost Dolphins! And More True Stories of Amazing Animal Heroes by Elizabeth Carney
For grades 4 and Up
This narrative non-fiction title from National Geographic offers a different take on "animal rescue stories." Instead of humans rescuing stranded dolphins, stray dogs, and the like, the three profiles in these books focus on animals as helpers. The second story focuses on Kasey, a Capuchin monkey who works as an assistance animal to a young man named Ned, who has a spinal cord and brain injury. The reader learns not only how monkeys are trained to assist humans with disabilities, but also a bit about the process of rehab: how it involves a combination of working to get function back and of learning to compensate in other ways for injuries that don't heal. Although the length and detail of the book are appropriate for fourth grade readers, this section of the book manages to cover the first six years of Ned's post-accident life. The tone is positive, but the reader is given the opportunity to see that Ned spent nearly a year in hospitals after his accident, and that physical therapy and other specialized treatments are an ongoing part of his life. The book emphasizes Ned's constant hard work and the strong family support that he has, but also shows that life with spinal cord injuries is frequently frustrating, regardless of how good one's attitude and support system are.
For grades 4 and Up
This narrative non-fiction title from National Geographic offers a different take on "animal rescue stories." Instead of humans rescuing stranded dolphins, stray dogs, and the like, the three profiles in these books focus on animals as helpers. The second story focuses on Kasey, a Capuchin monkey who works as an assistance animal to a young man named Ned, who has a spinal cord and brain injury. The reader learns not only how monkeys are trained to assist humans with disabilities, but also a bit about the process of rehab: how it involves a combination of working to get function back and of learning to compensate in other ways for injuries that don't heal. Although the length and detail of the book are appropriate for fourth grade readers, this section of the book manages to cover the first six years of Ned's post-accident life. The tone is positive, but the reader is given the opportunity to see that Ned spent nearly a year in hospitals after his accident, and that physical therapy and other specialized treatments are an ongoing part of his life. The book emphasizes Ned's constant hard work and the strong family support that he has, but also shows that life with spinal cord injuries is frequently frustrating, regardless of how good one's attitude and support system are.
Silent Star: The Story of Deaf Major Leaguer William Hoy
Written by Bill Wise. Illustrated by Adam Gustavson.
For grades three and up
A picture book autobiography of William Hoy, a deaf ballplayer in the major leagues and an undisputed master of the game. Did Hoy consider himself disabled? Would he have wanted to be included on a list such as this one? I'm not sure. Given the information provided in this biography, he certainly had a strong Deaf identity. He was also very aware of the attitudes of the hearing towards the Deaf. Hoy, who played pro ball in the 19th century, seems to have embraced his role as a representative of the Deaf community, someone who broke through barriers, showed what a Deaf person is capable of, and acted as a trailblazer for younger generations. This well-written, well-illustrated book presents a portrait of someone who managed to transcend the barriers that the hearing world presented to him while simultaneously embracing a positive strong Deaf identity. It is because of the limitations that others placed on him, and his reactions to those limitations, that I'm including Hoy on this list.
The Good Guys of Baseball: Seventeen True Sports Stories
by Terry Egan, Stan Friedmann, and Mike Levine
For grades three and up
The premise of this book is very cool: kids hear so much negative publicity about pro athletes, so why not publish a book featuring some of baseball's "good guys" and moral moments. Even cooler is the fact that of the seventeen profiles, four feature "good guys" with disabilities. This includes Jim Abbott (the obvious choice), but also individuals whose disabilities may have kept them off the field, but have not prevented them from finding a way to be involved with pro ball. This is an excellent lesson not only for children with disabilities who are facing up to the challenge of holding onto their dreams while becoming increasingly aware of the very real limitations posed by many disabilities, but also for children who enjoy playing sports but lack the extraordinary talent required to play on the professional level. (This is almost every child--very few people can hope to develop the level of skill involved in playing pro ball.) The good guys with disabilities featured in the book are: Jim Abbott (former pitcher in the major leagues who was born with only one hand); Don Wardlow (an announcer, born without eyes, whose broadcasts are included in the library of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY); Steve Mandl (when an injury proved to have lasting effects, he battled his way out of depression by finding a new focus as a high school teacher and coach); Steve Palermo (a MLB umpire, sidelined by a spinal cord injury, who found another way to be involved in the game).
Note: This book was published in 1994 and contains much outdated information. Some examples: Jim Abbott and Don Wardlow are both retired and Steve Mandl's featured mentee, Manny Ramirez has also "retired" (under suspicion of steroid use). The book is still in print, however--probably because it remains inspiring.
The Last Airlift by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch & One Step at a Time by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
For grades Four and Up
These two very well written books tell a compelling story about one child who was taken out of Vietnam as part of "Operation Babylift" and adopted into a Canadian family. Both books are clearly written, optimistic in tone, and fascinating. Although I was aware of "Operation Babylift," I was not aware of the urgency in relocating children with disabilities. According to an afterword in "The Last Airlift," many orphans would be raised as communist, but orphans with disabilities were in danger from the Vietcong. (I have been unable to verify this information from any source other than "The Last Airlift," but it is clear that the author sincerely believes this is true.) In any event, Tuyet, the focus of both autobiographies, receives medical care and services in Canada that were unavailable to her in Vietnam. She does not question her status as an orphan and clearly loves both belonging to a family and the security she finds in Canada. This book also offers a reminder that polio remains a preventable and devastating disease in some parts of the world. Many of us in the U.S. think of polio in the past tense, as a terrible disease that ceased to be a threat in the mid 1950's. These books retain a positive tone throughout, but also serve to remind us of those in many parts of the world who are affected by preventable diseases and disabilities.
All Kinds of Friends, Even Green by Ellen B. Senisi
For grades Kindergarten and up
Moses is proud to be an original thinker. When his class is given an assignment to write about friends, Moses is determined to focus on a topic that no one else in the class will choose. Write about a classmate who "knows what it's like to be in a wheelchair like me"? Write about other classmates that he enjoys hanging out with? No, other kids will certainly write about classmates. Write about his grown-up friends? Nope, too pedestrian a topic. How about his very cool neighbor--"she's a teen-ager!" Maybe. Eureka! He'll write about the teen's pet iguana! Just like Moses, the iguana has a physical disability yet has figured out how to have an active, busy life. Even better, no one else is likely to pick a green friend as their essay topic!
Today is Monday by Eric Carle
For Preschool-Second Grade
Not about disabilities per say, but the illustrations include a child in a wheelchair participating in a party or feast along with several other children. No special attention is drawn to the fact that the child is in a wheelchair.
I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly by Joyce Hansen
For Grade 4 and Up
Coretta Scott King Honor Book
Patsy talks with a stutter and walks with a limp. Because of her physical disabilities, she is thought to be mentally slow by both the other slaves and the white family that owns them. Patsy uses this to her advantage--she is able to manage to secretly learn to read simply because no one thinks it is possible for her to do such a thing. Once the civil war is over and the slaves freed, Patsy finds that her literacy skills make her a leader in her community.
First Girl Scout: The Life of Juliette Gordon Low by Ginger Wadsworth
For Grade 4 & Up
Juliette Gordon Low, known as "Daisy" and the founder of Girl Scouts of the USA, was very hard of hearing in the days before hearing aids and the ADA. Her contemporaries were impressed with the fact that Daisy managed to avoid the social isolation typical of a hard of hearing person in her time and created a life filled with an important work where she was surrounded by family, friends, and "her girls."
This is My Town by Mercer Mayer
For Preschool-First Grade
This title is an early reader in the Little Critter series. Little Critter takes us on a tour of his hometown, introducing us to different parts of the community and some community helpers. Disabilities are not mentioned in the text, but the illustrations include pictures of "critters with disabilities." One is an adult who uses a cane and is shown shopping in a busy downtown. The other character is a child around Little Critter's age who uses a wheelchair and is shown visiting the library along with Little Critter and several other children.
Little Critter is a popular series character. His most enduring, and endearing, traits are apparent in This is My Town, demonstrating unselfconscious interactions with his fellow citizens, with and without disabilities. Little Critter is usually very eager to "help" adults with most tasks. His enthusiasm (for helping and for life in general) combined with a unique interpretation of most rules (at least by adult standards) generally results in a mess, or trouble of some sort. His sister, classmates, and friends generally join in the chaos while the adult critters somehow manage to keep their sanity. All this is apparent in the illustrations--the brief text is narrated by Little Critter who never quite seems to grasp that isn't doing things quite "correctly."
All this works wonderfully in Mercer Mayer's depictions of critters with disabilities. Little Critter helps an adult with a cane without undue worry about impinging on his self-respect--after all, Little Critter is eager to help all adults. The critter in a wheelchair participates enthusiastically (and unintentionally) in creating a disruption in the library--because all children in the community are unwitting anarchists. The fact that, in this series, it is generally the illustrations, not the text, that tells the "whole story" reinforces the idea that critters with disabilities (who are clearly pictured in the illustrations although disabilities are not directly mentioned in the text) are citizens with roles to play in the community. Ideally, children will extend this idea to real communities populated by human beings.
I should mention that many librarians will be unhappy with the illustration that includes a librarian "shushing" children. However, the illustration is typical of the series--including the fact that none of the three shouting children even notices the librarian. These little critters are not easily quashed--series fans know their enthusiasm for the library will remain undimmed (and their library behavior probably not much modified). In my mind, the context, combined with the visual message that the library is a place for all citizens, with and without disabilities, to have a terrific time far outweighs the "shushing" stereotype.
Face Book by Chuck Close
Grade 2 and Up
This book could work as either an introduction for children who are completely unfamiliar with Chuck Close and his artwork or as a way for children who are already intrigued by Close's artwork and\or by the idea of an artist with disabilities to get more information about both the artist and his art.
The center of the book contains a sturdy, interactive approach to Close's artwork. This is bookended with a text written in interview format, where Chuck Close answers questions from children. The interview portion is illustrated with reproductions of Close's artwork and photographs of him at work. The book also contains an illustrated timeline of Close's life, a list of resources, and a glossary.
The book's interactive center illustrations draw in browsers, and the interview portion of the book simply charms. It has the feel of an actual chat with the artist. Along with other topics, Close talks at length about his disabilities, especially severe dyslexia (which he has had all his life) and paralysis from the chest down (caused by a collapsed artery when he was 48 years old). I wish I could have had a role model like Chuck Close as a child: someone well respected who is not defined entirely by disability but willing to speak openly about his disabilities and openly own being disabled as part of his identity. Close manages to be inspirational without putting himself on a pedestal. The child or teen with a disability can find comfort in Close's story while also deriving practical information relating to evaluating one's own life and blazing a trail towards success. This book gives the child or teen without a disability an honest narrative that neither underestimates the huge impact disabilities have on a person's life nor places the disabled person in the role of saint or martyr.
Out of my Mind by Sharon M. Draper
Grades 4 and Up
This title was recommended to me by another librarian on PUBYAC. After reading it myself, I recommended it to a 10 year old customer who enjoys realistic fiction and has disabilities similar to that of the protagonist. The result was one of the most satisfying Reader's Advisory experiences of my career. The child I recommended it to made it clear that this book accurately reflects her own experiences as a highly intelligent child using a wheelchair and a Meditalker and living day to day with her disabilities. She has become quite a book talker, intent on convincing every single person she knows to read this title--quite a rewarding experience for me as a librarian. This child and her mom read the book together--mom confided in me that she felt the book was helpful for her as well. Meditalkers have their limits as a means of communication and mom felt that her daughter's reactions to different parts of the novel made it easier to understand what things are like for her. This is a well-written and important book.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Grades 4 and Up
I've been struggling for some time to write a review of "Wonder." I realized the other day that it is on Booklist's "Notable" lists for 2012 and, at the time I am writing this, is number one on the New York Times Bestseller List for Juvenile Fiction. I have been hesitating to criticize this book simply because it glows with the author's good intentions, but I simply believe that the picture it paints of birth defects (not to mention Tourette Syndrome) is a false one. You can tell that she believes in her story and her characters. I understand the appeal of the book--I wish that the book's message was true, but my own experience with a birth defect tells me it is not. This book is narrated in many voices, but all chapters focus on Auggie, a fifth grader born with a rare combination of disfiguring birth defects. I do not have direct experience with most of Auggie's birth defects, but I do with cleft palate (which is one of Auggie's birth defects) and Tourette Syndrome (which Auggie's sister's boyfriend appears to have). I can tell you that neither clefts nor tics are accurately portrayed in the book (although common misconceptions are certainly perpetrated). Auggie miraculously seems to have no health problems whatsoever--although a history of surgeries and medical procedures is referred, now that he is in the fifth grade, Auggie has "no special needs." His ONLY problem is how other people react to the way he looks. This is a nice academic problem, but it belongs in an allegory or maybe in science fiction or fantasy. Putting it into a realistic fiction novel, especially one as gripping as Wonder, perpetuates misconceptions that are frustrating to those who have to live with them on a daily basis. A much better exploration of theme of "what is normal" can be found in The Normal Kid by Elizabeth Holmes.
The Normal Kid by Elizabeth Holmes
Grades 4 and Up
This book does an excellent job of exploring the concept of "what is normal" within the context of disability. Homes deserves credit for openly acknowledging that the quest for "normal" (within oneself and in one's family and school environments) is an important part of the middle grade years without glossing over this developmental phase with platitudes or a lecture. Sylvan's move from bystander to open friendship with the two "weird kids" is written in a way that seems so natural that bullying may be overlooked as one of this book's themes--which is unfortunate as Holmes handles this overexposed theme very well. Holmes is also very skillful in her portrayal of disability as difference. She avoids using both the term "differently abled" and the concept behind it--which tend to gloss over very real problems. She also avoids the portrayal of people with neurological disabilities as "eccentric" which tends to imply that their difference and disability is a choice. In the end, no amount of support can magically overcome Brian's autism enough for him to remain with his class, and he is moved to a school which offers more of the specialized services he needs. And yet--magic does happen for Brian--he finds two peers who are willing to consider voluntarily spending time hanging out with him.
Grade 2 and Up
This book could work as either an introduction for children who are completely unfamiliar with Chuck Close and his artwork or as a way for children who are already intrigued by Close's artwork and\or by the idea of an artist with disabilities to get more information about both the artist and his art.
The center of the book contains a sturdy, interactive approach to Close's artwork. This is bookended with a text written in interview format, where Chuck Close answers questions from children. The interview portion is illustrated with reproductions of Close's artwork and photographs of him at work. The book also contains an illustrated timeline of Close's life, a list of resources, and a glossary.
The book's interactive center illustrations draw in browsers, and the interview portion of the book simply charms. It has the feel of an actual chat with the artist. Along with other topics, Close talks at length about his disabilities, especially severe dyslexia (which he has had all his life) and paralysis from the chest down (caused by a collapsed artery when he was 48 years old). I wish I could have had a role model like Chuck Close as a child: someone well respected who is not defined entirely by disability but willing to speak openly about his disabilities and openly own being disabled as part of his identity. Close manages to be inspirational without putting himself on a pedestal. The child or teen with a disability can find comfort in Close's story while also deriving practical information relating to evaluating one's own life and blazing a trail towards success. This book gives the child or teen without a disability an honest narrative that neither underestimates the huge impact disabilities have on a person's life nor places the disabled person in the role of saint or martyr.
Out of my Mind by Sharon M. Draper
Grades 4 and Up
This title was recommended to me by another librarian on PUBYAC. After reading it myself, I recommended it to a 10 year old customer who enjoys realistic fiction and has disabilities similar to that of the protagonist. The result was one of the most satisfying Reader's Advisory experiences of my career. The child I recommended it to made it clear that this book accurately reflects her own experiences as a highly intelligent child using a wheelchair and a Meditalker and living day to day with her disabilities. She has become quite a book talker, intent on convincing every single person she knows to read this title--quite a rewarding experience for me as a librarian. This child and her mom read the book together--mom confided in me that she felt the book was helpful for her as well. Meditalkers have their limits as a means of communication and mom felt that her daughter's reactions to different parts of the novel made it easier to understand what things are like for her. This is a well-written and important book.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Grades 4 and Up
I've been struggling for some time to write a review of "Wonder." I realized the other day that it is on Booklist's "Notable" lists for 2012 and, at the time I am writing this, is number one on the New York Times Bestseller List for Juvenile Fiction. I have been hesitating to criticize this book simply because it glows with the author's good intentions, but I simply believe that the picture it paints of birth defects (not to mention Tourette Syndrome) is a false one. You can tell that she believes in her story and her characters. I understand the appeal of the book--I wish that the book's message was true, but my own experience with a birth defect tells me it is not. This book is narrated in many voices, but all chapters focus on Auggie, a fifth grader born with a rare combination of disfiguring birth defects. I do not have direct experience with most of Auggie's birth defects, but I do with cleft palate (which is one of Auggie's birth defects) and Tourette Syndrome (which Auggie's sister's boyfriend appears to have). I can tell you that neither clefts nor tics are accurately portrayed in the book (although common misconceptions are certainly perpetrated). Auggie miraculously seems to have no health problems whatsoever--although a history of surgeries and medical procedures is referred, now that he is in the fifth grade, Auggie has "no special needs." His ONLY problem is how other people react to the way he looks. This is a nice academic problem, but it belongs in an allegory or maybe in science fiction or fantasy. Putting it into a realistic fiction novel, especially one as gripping as Wonder, perpetuates misconceptions that are frustrating to those who have to live with them on a daily basis. A much better exploration of theme of "what is normal" can be found in The Normal Kid by Elizabeth Holmes.
The Normal Kid by Elizabeth Holmes
Grades 4 and Up
This book does an excellent job of exploring the concept of "what is normal" within the context of disability. Homes deserves credit for openly acknowledging that the quest for "normal" (within oneself and in one's family and school environments) is an important part of the middle grade years without glossing over this developmental phase with platitudes or a lecture. Sylvan's move from bystander to open friendship with the two "weird kids" is written in a way that seems so natural that bullying may be overlooked as one of this book's themes--which is unfortunate as Holmes handles this overexposed theme very well. Holmes is also very skillful in her portrayal of disability as difference. She avoids using both the term "differently abled" and the concept behind it--which tend to gloss over very real problems. She also avoids the portrayal of people with neurological disabilities as "eccentric" which tends to imply that their difference and disability is a choice. In the end, no amount of support can magically overcome Brian's autism enough for him to remain with his class, and he is moved to a school which offers more of the specialized services he needs. And yet--magic does happen for Brian--he finds two peers who are willing to consider voluntarily spending time hanging out with him.