Books About Disability
Suggestions for Some Good Reading Materials Focusing on Disabilities
Nov 6, 2008
When you curl up by a fire on a cold night and reach for a good book, what do you reach for? A romance? A mystery? What about a good medical text about spinal cord injuries?
It probably won't be the latter.
Most books written about disability read like medical textbooks. They are dry and hard to understand. There are some books about disability, however, that can educate as well as entertain.
For Kids
Written by psychotherapist and counselor Pat Thomas, Don’t Call Me Special; A First Look At Disability does just what the titles says – it gives many children their first exposure to disability. This picture book, featuring bold and colorful illustrations and recommended for children ages 4 – 8, explores a child’s questions and concerns about disabilities and the special equipment that people with disabilities use in an easy-to-understand and reassuring way.
For children who are about to begin school, Rochelle Bunnett’s Friends at School is a must-read. Beautifully illustrated by Matt Brown with large, colorful photographs, this photo essay book depicts preschool age children of all abilities working and playing together. It's a fun way to teach your child the true meaning of inclusion in the classroom.
For Teens
The teen years are difficult for anyone to navigate. Issues such as family, friends, dating and going off to college become amplified when you have a physical disability or impairment. In her book Physical Disabilities: The Ultimate Teen Guide (It Happened To Me), Denise Thornton discusses all of these issues plus many more with real teens with disabilities have experienced and overcome.
Journey Into Friendship is a unique look at college life with a disability in that both authors have a disability. Megan Drummond, Suite101.com Feature Writer, suffered a stroke at a young age and Jessica McFarlane, a former Ms. Wheelchair Pennsylvania and single mother, has lived her whole life with cerebral palsy. The book details the beginnings of their friendship, their trials and triumphs in college and life in general with a disability.
For Everyone
I Am Potential: Eight Lessons on Living, Loving, and Reaching Your Dreams tells the story of Patrick Henry Hughes, a young man who was born with a rare genetic disorder that left him without eyes. Despite this condition and his physical disabilities, Hughes became a musical prodigy on the piano and the trumpet. Hughes is an inspiration to everyone who knows him and will quickly become an inspiration to everyone who reads this book.
All of these titles, plus many more books on disability, are available at Amazon.com.
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