Having a multicultural background can be a kind of disability for kids. Thus PaperTigers focuses on children’s books in English that, through their multicultural perspectives, are liberating and informative for children of all cultures. But kids with disabilities, whether otherwise multicultural or not, often feel like they’re from another country, if not planet. It’s natural, say the people at Bookbird, to link “the representation of disabled people with multiculturalism and the issue of bias-free books.”
Today’s tour of resources for children’s books about disabilities begins in New Zealand, where the wonderful website Storylines has an extensive annotated list of books for and about children with disabilities, from blindness to paralysis to Asperger’s.
An annotated list of children’s books about special needs is here, and here’s an excellent Amazon list of best children’s books on disabilities. An old (2001) but comprehensive list of books, organized by disability and followed by a list of publishers, with contact info and links, comes from the U.S.-based National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities. The American Library Association presents the Schneider Awards, honoring authors or illustrators for a book that “embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.” Click here for current winners.
PaperTigers has more personal perspectives: Suzanne Gervay discusses her book, Butterflies (scroll down here for a mini-review), about a girl growing up with severe burns. Author Ann Bowler talks about her own learning disability. Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian, about a kid with multiple disabilities who’s negotiating multiple cultures as well, is reviewed here.
In Australia, I had the opportunity to meet a phenomenal woman who helps children who can’t speak to communicate in other ways. While not for kids, Rosemary Crossley’s book Speechless, about her work with children, offers insight and inspiration for us all, whatever our culture or disability.