Books for Tough Times: Disabilities

An original Jewish folktale about a girl who knits, a deaf woman, and a piece of blue yarn.

Poor Lee! He used to be a jazzman who could make the piano go yimbatimba- TANG--zang-zang. But now he's lost his hearing, and the bandleader had to let him go. So Lee goes to a school for the deaf to learn sign language. There, he meets Max, who used to play the sax. Riding the subway to class, they start signing about all the songs they love. A bass player named Rose joins in and soon they've got a little sign language band. And in no time they're performing for audiences in the subway, night after night. !

In second grade, Mrs. Poole asks our narrator to show the new girl around school. Imagine the surprise when our narrator first meets Sarah--Sarah uses a wheelchair! For a moment, our narrator feels awkward.

Tim is not happy about moving from the country to the city. With the help of a silent friend, he overcomes the difficulties of this transition and learns that true communication begins with an open mind and heart.

Five-year-old Janet goes to the local school with all her friends. Janet has spina bifida. She can't do everything the others do, but she finds her own ways to join in, learning and enjoying with them.

Joey Pigza's got heart, he's got a mom who loves him, and he's got "dud meds," which is what he calls the Ritalin pills that are supposed to even out his wild mood swings. Sometimes Joey makes bad choices. In this antic yet poignant novel, Jack Gantos has perfect pitch in capturing the humor, the off-the-wall intensity, and the serious challenges that life presents to a kid dealing with hyper-activity and related disorders.

A heartfelt and witty debut about feeling different and finding acceptance--beyond the rules. Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a paraplegic boy, and Kristi, the next-door friend she's always wished for, it's her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?

Katy Thatcher was the bright and curious daughter of the town doctor. She wanted to know about people. Perhaps it was this, her insatiable curiosity, or simply the charm of Jacob’s gentle intimacy with animals large and small, that fueled their friendship. Although Jacob never spoke to her or even looked at her directly, Katy grew to understand him from the moments they spent together quietly singing to the horses. So when events took an unexpected and tragic turn, it was Katy alone who could unravel the mystery of what had occurred, and why.

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid--but his new classmates can't get past Auggie's extraordinary face. Wonder begins from Auggie's point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community's struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

It's science project time in Ms. Adolf's class. This is good news and bad news for Hank-he loves science, but he hates the report part. So Hank turns to TV to take his mind off things. The Hank Zipzer series is about the high-spirited and funny adventures of a boy with learning differences.

Exuberant redhead Erik always tries his best, but he just can't understand why he's missing homework questions at school and messing up at soccer practice. Then one day in art class everyone notices that Erik's painted a picture of himself with green hair! It turns out he's not just creative, he's color blind, too. Color blindness, also known as Color Vision Deficiency (CVD), affects a significant percentage of the population. But once Erik is diagnosed, he and his parents, teachers, coach, and classmates figure out solutions that work with his unique way of seeing, and soon he's back on track.

When Adam started kindergarten, the teacher wanted him to learn about letters. But "p" looked like "q," and "b" looked like "d." In first grade, he had to put the letters into words so he could read. That was the beginning of the Alphabet War.

A third-person past-tense narrative tells the story of Sam, a boy with Asperger Syndrome. When Sam leaves the house at night his parents know that something must be done. They take him for a check-up and receive the diagnosis. Because of the interesting story line, the positive approach, and the notion that others can learn to help Sam instead of expecting him to change, this is an excellent introduction to the topic. The book concludes with 10 helpful tips to remember when a friend or a classmate has Asperger's.

Isaac may look like everyone else, but he actually has superpowers that make him different from his brother and his classmates. Some kids don't understand that and call him names. But Isaac's superhero brain remembers loads of things. He tends to say whatever comes into his head and doesn't realize that he might hurt someone's feelings. Even though he's not really a superhero; he has Asperger syndrome, which means his brain works a little differently; he does love to play superheroes with his brother, who understands him..

People who are blind learn ways to use their senses of touch and hearing in order to sense the world around them. Read about the tools they use, including canes and seeing eye dogs, to travel and to be independent.

Describes some of the reasons children may wear leg braces and how they are helpful.

Text and photographs discuss why some children cannot walk, how wheelchairs help them, and the everyday activities of children who use wheelchairs.

Text and photographs describe kids who are deaf, the ways they communicate, and some of their everyday activities.

Presents the handshape for each letter of the American manual alphabet accompanied by an object whose name begins with that letter.

This book introduces readers to what autism is, how it affects people, and what they can do to be a good friend to someone living with autism.

This book introduces readers to what Down Syndrome is, how it affects people, and what they can do to be a good friend to someone living with Down Syndrome.

My friend Robby has a disability called ADHD. But that doesn't matter to us. We play basketball, tell jokes, go canoeing, and help each other with our homework. I'm glad Robby is my friend!

My friend Darius has a disability called dyslexia. But that doesn't matter to us. We make our own comics, help each other with our homework, and volunteer at a nearby animal shelter. I'm glad Marius is my friend!

Create an IEP with this start-to-finish guide for caring parents Your special needs child needs a special education, and as a parent, you face a number of obstacles as you work with your school district to develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Whether you're new to the IEP process or entering it once again, this user-friendly, plain English guide is your outline for an effective educational experience for your child. You'll get all the forms, sample letters, and resources that you could possibly need at any stage of the IEP process.

Easy-to-understand question-and-answer format; guidelines for assessing your child's speech and language development; practical strategies for coping with stuttering, poor listening or memory skills, vocal fatigue or hoarseness, ear infections and hearing and much more; and ways to enhance speech and language development that both you and your child will enjoy.

The age at which the treatment begins is the single most important factor in predicting successful treatment of congenital hearing impairment in children. Hearing loss is treatable, and treatment may start at birth.If you want your child to hear and speak and live in a hearing world, then this book is for you.

When a child has communication problems--diagnosed or not--parents are first looking for a place to go for help. The Parent's Guide to Speech and Language Problems is a one-stop resource, offering not just medical information but also advice and encouragement from a mom who's been there. Author Debbie Feit has two children with speech problems and knows what it takes to survive and thriveday-to-day as a family.

One of the best ways for children with autism, Asperger's, and sensory processing disorders to learn is through play. Children improve their motor skills, language skills, and social skills by moving their bodies and interacting with their environment. Yet the biggest challenges parents, teachers, and loved ones face with children on the autism spectrum or with sensory processing disorders is how to successfully engage them in play. Pediatric occupational therapist Tara Delaney provides the answer.