Honoring Children with Disabilities
July is Disability Pride Month which honors the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of the disability community. This year’s theme is, “We Want a Life Like Yours.” Like children of color, children with disabilities (and especially those of color) have limited opportunities to see themselves reflected in the books they read. The selections this week explore the experiences of children with disabilities, offering an opportunity for children with disabilities to see themselves reflected in these books. For children without disabilities, the books will help them to gain understanding of people with disabilities and how to be respectful and inclusive of their peers.
Joyful Reading!
Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You
Written by Sonia Sotomayor, Illustrated by Rafael López
Written by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a young Sonia brings together a diverse group of children to plant a community garden. Opening with the diversity of the plants, their unique characteristics and functions, children’s diverse challenges and abilities are introduced in the same way. In each double-page spread a child introduces their disability, how it presents itself, the challenges they face as a result, the unique skill or capacity their disability gives them, ending with a question for the reader. Young Sonia begins by discussing the fact that she needs to prick her finger several times a day and inject herself with insulin because she has diabetes, and even though this is painful, she is courageous, closing with the question, “Do you ever have to take medicine to be healthy?” The children featured on the book discuss asthma, using a wheelchair, being blind, being deaf, dyslexia, autism, having a stutter, Tourette’s, ADHD, nut allergies, and Down Syndrome. Young Sonia sensitively acknowledges, “Not everyone is comfortable answering questions about themselves,” encouraging young readers to “just ask” adults to help them to understand. Rafael López’s bold, colorful illustrations brilliantly capture the exuberance of the children, and beauty of the garden.
A Day With No Words
Written by Tiffany Hammond, Illustrated by Kate Cosgrove
Narrated from the perspective of a young boy with autism who does not speak, this book provides powerful insights into how he experiences the world. Author, Tiffany Hammond, brings a unique perspective to this book as a mother with autism who is parenting two sons who also have autism. The book chronicles a day in the life of the young boy as he navigates his day which includes some time at the park and out getting a meal, communicating with his mother utilizing a tablet. While mother and son do not speak with each other, their tablets provide them with the necessary tools to support their loving relationship and to talk to each other without speaking. Kate Cosgrove’s warm illustrations beautifully reflect the young boy’s inner life and relationship with his mother.
Author, advocate Tiffany Hammond discusses A Day With No Words and a wide range of issues including the struggles of being Black on the Autism Knows No Borders Podcast.
Included: A Book for All Children About Inclusion, Diversity, Disability, Equality and Empathy
Written by Jayneen Sanders, Illustrated by Camila Carrossine
This book introduces readers to six children: Sam, Rishi, Jay, Audrey, Ty and Zara, each with unique abilities and challenges. The overall message of the book is that all children are unique in our own ways and want to feel respected and included. What stands out about this book is that it not only introduces children to the disabilities that the featured children have and how they are impacted by them, but also introduces the professionals (occupational therapists, speech therapists, doctors, etc.) who support children with disabilities. Through each child’s story, the book provides strategies for being a respectful friend, classmate, and playmate who can adapt their expectations and ways of playing to be inclusive of peers with disabilities. Open-ended questions are peppered throughout the book to engage young readers in exploring their own experiences and to spark discussion. Camila Carrossine’s lively, colorful illustrations depict diverse children in a variety of settings, capturing the high-spirited nature of childhood.
Beyond the Books
Disability Pride Month is an opportunity to promote acceptance, inclusivity, and advocacy for disability rights. For parents and caregivers of young children, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital has conducted a podcast on How to Talk with Kids About Disabilities and Prepare Them to Value Differences in People, and the Nora Project has prepared How to Talk to Your Child About Disability and additional Family and Community Resources, including how to plan inclusive playdates.