Book Smarts

The written word is a powerful thing. Television, video games and the Internet may compete for children’s attention, but kids still bond with books, reading and re-reading those they find meaningful.

Encountering familiar people and situations in books builds context and anunderstanding of self and others. It also motivates kids to keep reading!

For children with disabilities to meet themselves in books, and in order for all kids to learn about diversity, they need good, realistic models of a variety of characters who live and grow, struggle and succeed – characters who model the kind of courage demonstrated by real people.

I’m a teacher. Years ago, I worked with a boy named Duane. He wasn’t very co-operative. In fact, he was downright defiant. Whatever the class was doing, he repeatedly chose to oppose. And he hated books. I looked hard for something upon which to build a relationship with Duane, and eventually I found it – surprisingly, with a junior novel. Each day when I read aloud to the class from my copy of Judy Blume’s Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Duane would suddenly tune in.

The difficult relationship between Peter Hatcher and his younger brother, Fudge, hooked Duane in a way that nothing in my curriculum had. I thought that perhaps my student was the “difficult little brother” at home and that maybe he relished the sense that even though Peter and his parents were often cross with Fudge and his antics, they loved him anyway. And so, for a few sweet minutes each day, Duane and I were in sync.

It didn’t last. In October, Duane came to school one day with the news that his family was moving away; this was to be his last day in my classroom. I took a few minutes to speak with him about his growing interest in literature, and told him I hoped it would continue. Then I asked if there was anything in the classroom he’d like to take with him, to remind him of the time he’d spent with us. He shrugged, and then he looked over at the book. I picked it up, wrote a note to Duane inside it, and gave it to him. I hope he took this gift as proof that even though he had challenging behaviour, I loved him anyway.

And after all, that’s the message we hope to give our children, isn’t it? At home, and at school, we know there will be challenges. Sometimes books can help. Kids do learn from book characters. Heroes and heroines can teach about courage, problem solving and strategies to use in real life.

Children who have disabilities or chronic conditions need to see themselves in fiction. They deserve the affirmation that they are part of society just as “typical” children find their place in books. It’s also important for the “typical” child to recognize shared dreams and skills with book characters whose differences might otherwise set them apart.

Parents can help by choosing books that avoid stereotypes and include diverse characters. Here are a few questions, adapted from a draft of Saskatchewan’s English Language Arts curriculum, to keep in mind:

Does the story depict the characters realistically, respectfully and fairly?

Is the character with a disability or chronic condition used only as a vehicle for the growth of another character, or is he or she presented as someone who grows and develops throughout the story?

Is current language used to describe the disability?

Are the characters with disabilities or chronic conditions described in a stereotypical manner, or are they given individual personalities and characteristics?

Canadian author Jean Little has written books that include children with disabilities in strong character roles. In addition, there is a trend in education to increase discussion about stereotypes of people with disabilities or chronic conditions in literature. There are also many new fiction books that depict such characters with differences in a fair and sensitive light. Here are a few of my favourites.

FOR READERS AGES 5 TO 9

A Screaming Kind of Day, by Rachna Gilmore and Gordon Sauve, is about a girl with a hearing disability. Scully pounds her way through a tempestuous day. When late afternoon comes and she wakes from her nap, readers rejoice with her as the day turns bright. “I don’t feel like screaming anymore. I’m as still as deep blue water…The pink sky melts into red then blue, darker, darker, calling night…I turn my hearing aids off. If I’m very quiet, I might just hear the stars sing.” This title is a Canadian Governor General’s Award winner. (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, $9.95, ISBN: 155041514X)

Pocket Rocks, by Sheree Fitch and illustrated by Helen Flook, is a picture book about Ian, who has an unspecified disability. He is uncomfortable at school until he discovers a supportive strategy. He begins collecting rocks and keeping them in his pockets. Ian puts rocks in his pockets until, one day, his pants fall down and everybody laughs. Then a storyteller comes to class, and tells about collecting rocks himself, and helps Ian build understanding among his classmates. (Orca Books, $19.95, ISBN: 1551432897)

Give Maggie a Chance, by Frieda Wishinsky, is about a character who can’t speak when she’s anxious. Standing up for a friend who stutters gives her the courage to find her voice. The animal characters in this story are delightful. (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, $9.95, ISBN: 1550416820)

Ruby Sings the Blues, by Niki Daly, is a picture book about a little girl who is extremely loud. Her teacher tries to teach her volume control and use the “on” and “off” buttons on her shirt, but Ruby is always “on” and bellowing. Consequently, no one wants to play with her. The sax player and jazz singer from upstairs see that she’s lonely, and invite her to sing with them. And at her next school concert, Ruby is awesome! This is a feel-good story about seeing ability rather than disability. (Georgetown Publications, $21.95, ISBN: 097353396X)

FOR READERS AGES 9 TO 12

The Tiger Rising, by Kate DiCamillo, is a novel about Rob, a boy with a chronic skin disease. A friendship develops between him and a new girl, Sistine. They discover a caged tiger in the woods. How they deal with their problems, and the choice they make regarding the tiger’s freedom, are key in this poignant tale. It shows that some things – memories and heartache, as well as tigers – can’t be locked up forever. (Candlewick Press, $8.99, ISBN: 0763618985)

Charlie Wilcox, by Sharon E. McKay, is a novel that combines fact and fiction. It is told by Charlie’s great-niece, Sharon McKay. Born with a club foot into a family of Newfoundland sealers, Charlie’s dream is to go to the ice and make a name for himself. He stows away on what he believes to be a sealing vessel, only to find himself on a ship of soldiers about to fight in the First World War. With its sense of adventure, sharp dialogue and quick wit, there’s a movie in this one. (Penguin, $8.99, ISBN: 0143014706)

FOR TEEN READERS

A Different Kind of Beauty, by Sylvia McNicoll, explores the developing relationships between Elizabeth, a highschool student who trains guide dogs, her sometimes boyfriend, Scott, and Kyle, a classmate who develops diabetes-induced blindness. With the unpredictable emotions of adolescence, this novel will strike chords in young teens who find that growing up isn’t easy. (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, $22.95, ISBN: 1550050591)

Kissing Doorknobs, by Terry Spencer Hesser, for young teens, is the story of Tara Sullivan, a young girl who has obsessive-compulsive disorder. Hearing the old phrase, “Step on a crack, break your mother’s back,” sets off a series of bizarre behaviours that have Tara, her frustrated family and her few remaining friends worried. Tara’s journey through several misdiagnoses and learning to cope takes great courage, and this frank, intense story is handled with compassion. (Laurel Leaf, $7.99, ISBN: 0440413141)

the curious incident of the dog in the night-time, by Mark Haddon, is a novel for mature readers. Written in the first person, this mystery story is a poignant look at the world of Christopher John Frances Boone, a young man with autism. The author examines family break-up and coming of age themes with sensitivity and humour. (Anchor, $19.95, ISBN: 0385659806)

Beverley Brenna M.Ed. is a Special Education Consultant with a public school board. She has published four children’s books, most recently Wild Orchid (Red Deer Press), a teen novel about a young woman with Asperger Syndrome. This first-person account looks at what it’s like to be different while emphasizing the commonalities many teenagers share.