Dis/ability

Book Walk
Anna D’Aprix
Strictly No Elephants
Author: Lisa Mantchev

Illustrator: Taeeun Yoo

Summary: Strictly No Elephants depicts the story of a young boy and his pet
elephant who are not allowed to attend the local Pet Club because no
elephants are allowed. Throughout the children’s book, the little boy and his
pet elephant work together to create a pet club where ALL animals are
allowed. In doing so, the boy and his elephant teach the Pet Club that pets
come in all shapes and sizes and more importantly, that all are welcome.

Awards Won:

- Huffington Post Honor Book for Best in Kindness

- Bank Street Best Book of 2015
- NCTE- Charlotte Huck Honor Book
- CCBC- Choice Book

Rationale for Inclusion: This book is perfect for an early childhood

classroom. This story reinforces the importance of acceptance and the idea
that everyone belongs no matter how different they may look or seem. This
story offers a fantastic introduction to texts with themes of dis/ability
The Black Book of Colors
Author: Menena Cottin

Illustrator: Rosana Faria

Summary: Using simple language and beautiful textured art, this book
shows its readers how to see colors without eyes. While the pages are
black, the reader can use their remaining senses including sound, smell,
touch, and taste to “see” the colors. The book even contains Braille where
readers can experience using Braille and their other senses to read.

Awards Won:

- A New York Times Book Review choice as one of the 10 Best

Illustrated Children’s Books of 2008

Rationale for Inclusion: This book is included because it provides

students with the opportunity to stand in the shoes of others who
experience visual difficulties and/or blindness. The addition of Braille
included on each page is extremely beneficial for all students.
Rules
Author: Cynthia Lord

Summary: Rules is the story of the 13-year old girl named Catherine, who is
torn between caring for her autistic brother George and finding her own place
in life. She spends years creating “rules” for George to help eliminate his
embarrassing behaviors. Throughout the story, Catherine meets two new
friends which forces her to question, “what is really normal?”

Awards Won:

- Scholastic Gold
- 2007 Newbery Honor Book
- Sunshine State Young Readers book (2008-2009)
- Schneider Family Book Award (2007)
- Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award (2009)

Rationale for Inclusion: This book is included because of the various themes
that it touches upon relating to difference and disability. More importantly,
this story offers a different point of view in which a sibling shares their own
challenges with identity while learning about acceptance through her own
brother who is labeled as disabled.
El Deafo
Author: Cece Bell

Summary: El Deafo depicts a loose account of Cece Bell’s childhood and

her experience of feeling different as a result of wearing a phonic ear.
Throughout the story, she treats her hearing aid as a superpower as a
means to deal with feelings of loneliness and difference. By the end of
the story, Cece grows more assertive and opens up about her
“superpower” through the help of a friend who becomes her sidekick.

Awards Won:

- Newbery Honor (2015)

- Eisner Award for Best Publication for Kids ages 8-12 (2015)

Rationale for Inclusion: This book is included because it adds genre

diversity to the curriculum. This book is a autobiographical graphic novel
told from the perspective of Cece Bell. This offers varying extension
activities such as comic strip creations as well as highlights the power of
friendship.
Fish in a Tree
Author: Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Summary: Fish in a Tree depicts the story of Ally, a young girl with dyslexia who has
been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. After meeting a new teacher, she
is unable to hide her inability to read through disruptive distractions. Throughout
the story, she learns to not be so hard herself and as her confidence grows, she
discovers there’s a lot more to herself than the label of dyslexia.

Awards Won:

- Schneider Family Book Award

- SCBWI Crystal Kite Winner
- ALSC Notable Book of 2016
- New York Times Bestseller
- Global Read Aloud choice (2015)
- SLJ Best Book (2015)

Rationale for Inclusion: “Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a
fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid. ” This is an
extremely valuable lesson that ALL students, especially those in middle school
would benefit from.
Freak the Mighty
Author: Rodman Philbrick

Summary: Freak the Mighty is a young adult novel that depicts a beautiful
friendship between Max and a character called “Freak”. Both characters
experience the challenges of feeling different. While one is considered a
slow learner and too big for his age, the other is a tiny genius. Together,
Max and Freak become unstoppable and create an unbreakable human
force called “Freak the Mighty”.

Awards Won:

- Scholastic Gold
- American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults
- California Young Readers Medal

Rationale for Inclusion: This story is included because it provides high

school students with various mature themes related to dis/ability
including acceptance, difference (both internal and external), friendship,
and persistence.
A few others...
- We’re All Wonders by R.J. Palacio
- I Am Helen Keller by Brad Meltzer
- Wonder by R.J. Palacio
- Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
- Her Own Two Feet by Rebeka Uwitonze
- Firegirl by Tony Abbott