What are you reading?
If you are anything like
me, you eagerly await the summer months to finally make a sizable dent in that
pile of books adorning your nightstand. My summer reading list typically
includes a mix of young adult novels, professional books, and a healthy handful
of books for fun.
As a Jewish Educator who cares deeply about disability inclusion, I am continuously drawn to well-written books that frame disability in a positive, readable and easy-to-understand way.
Here are some of my
favorites:
Wonder by R J Palacio: This is an outstanding novel not only for gaining perspective and insight, but for teaching kindness. I also highly recommend the short vignettes on each of the characters, particularly The Julian Chapter. “I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse. August Pullman was born with a facial deformity 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.”
Bonus: We Are All Wonders for young children. Delightful!
All three of these novels are perfect for parents and children to read together. It is also interesting to note that two of the three protagonists are female, despite the fact that their disabilities are more commonly diagnosed and/or associated with males.
Worth noting: The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida. My review is here. Naoki Higashida, a very smart, very self-aware, and very charming thirteen-year-old boy with autism, writes this one-of-a-kind memoir that demonstrates how an autistic mind thinks, feels, perceives, and responds in ways few of us can imagine. Using an alphabet grid to painstakingly construct words, sentences, and thoughts that he is unable to speak out loud, Naoki answers even the most delicate questions that people want to know. Questions such as: “Why do people with autism talk so loudly and weirdly?” “Why do you line up your toy cars and blocks?” “Why don’t you make eye contact when you’re talking?” and “What’s the reason you jump?” (Naoki’s answer: “When I’m jumping, it’s as if my feelings are going upward to the sky.”) With disarming honesty and a generous heart, Naoki shares his unique point of view on not only autism but life itself.
Here are some of the books on my summer reading list:
Learning Outside the Lines by Jonathan Mooney and David Cole: “Every day, your school, your teachers, and even your peers draw lines to measure and standardize intelligence. They decide what criteria make one person smart and another person stupid. They decide who will succeed and who will just get by. Perhaps you find yourself outside the norm, because you learn differently—but, unlike your classmates, you have no system in place that consistently supports your ability and desire to learn. Simply put, you are considered lazy and stupid. You are expected to fail. Learning Outside the Lines is written by two such “academic failures”—that is, two academic failures who graduated from Brown University at the top of their class. Jonathan Mooney and David Cole teach you how to take control of your education and find true success—and they offer all the reasons why you should persevere. Witty, bold, and disarmingly honest, Learning Outside the Lines takes you on a journey toward personal empowerment and profound educational change, proving once again that rules sometimes need to be broken.”
Rules by Cynthia Lord: “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. She’s spent years trying to teach David the rules from "a peach is not a funny-looking apple" to "keep your pants on in public"— in order to head off David’s embarrassing behaviors. But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the next-door friend she’s always wished for, its her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?”
El Deafo by Cece Bell: “Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful—and very awkward—hearing aid. The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear—sometimes things she shouldn’t—but also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is.”
What are you reading?
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