May 24, 2013
Kira Wright, CCC-SLP
We’d like to recommend a couple of the many books that are out there on kids with disabilities. These particular books are works of fiction, written for young adults, but the subject matter and the passion with which the stories are told, make them good reads for a much broader audience!
The 3 Best Books About Children with Disabilities
1. Out of My Mind, by Sharon Draper
This is the story of a young girl, told in her own voice through the thoughts she has in her mind, as she is completely non-verbal. She describes the frustrations and excitement of 5th grade as only an 11-year-old can, and her determined, dry humor makes her easy to like. Finding a communication device opens her world in a way she has not experienced.
2. Paperboy, by Vince Vawter
Recommended by the Stuttering Foundation of America, Paperboy is about an 11-year-old boy growing up in Memphis in 1959. He throws the meanest fastball in town, but talking is a whole different ball game. He has trouble saying a word without stuttering.
“My ultimate goal was to take the reader inside the confusing world of an adolescent who stutters,” Vawter told the Stuttering Foundation. “This is a lonely age for those of us who grew up with a speech impediment. I’m glad this facet of the book was recognized.”
3. Wonder, by R. J. Palacio
“You can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.” Many 11-year-olds feel like it’s hard to fit in, but August has several things going against him. Homeschooled until the 5th grade, August is enrolled at a new school for the first time. He also was born with severe facial deformities. Can kids at Beecher Prep see past his appearance? This book makes for great discussion and a memorable summer read!
