Just like everyone else: Down syndrome

We’ll Paint the Octopus Red by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen

                This picture book is about a 6 year old girl who is about to get a new baby brother or sister. At first, she is not too keen on getting a new sibling. She is speaking to her father, asking if she can do different things with the baby. Some of these things are, feeding cows, kicking soccer balls, painting an octopus, visiting their Aunt Wendy, and even going on an African safari. However, when the baby comes, she learns it is a baby boy names Isaac. Isaac, as her dad says, has Down syndrome. The young girl is positive this disability will prevent her from doing all the fun things she wanted to do with her new brother. However, as she goes through and asks her dad if Isaac can still do everything, she ends up asking "If Isaac has this Down thing, then what can't he do?” To her surprise and excitement, her father tells him there is nothing Isaac cannot do, he may simply need help, patience, and a little more time.

                This book is a great tool for helping parents talk to their children about Down syndrome. Likewise, it can also help young readers learn that children with Down syndrome are in fact no different than anyone else. However, this book does not educate readers on any other aspects of Down syndrome, outside of the fact that they can do everything the same as anyone else. While this book is a picture book and very brief, I would have liked to see the young girl ask more questions about her baby brother’s disability. Outside of that, I believe this book did a great job of breaking the barriers of normalcy when it comes to Down syndrome.

                I would recommend this book for young readers, as the reading level is a little higher than what one may expect from a picture book. I believe this book has educational merit, and would be a great addition to an at-home or classroom library. Check out this blog written by Jennie and Mark who have a son with Down syndrome. In this post, Jennie tells her experience reading this book aloud to her son's kindergarten class, and a fun activity they did afterwards! 

Cerebral Palsy Awareness

Emily Included by Kathleen McDonnell

Emily Included is an inspiring true story written about Emily Eaton and her family’s legal battle to include her in the normal public school system. Emily has cerebral palsy, and her parents want her to attend the public school to have the ability to have the same education and make friends with other children her age. However, the school board ends up ruling that Emily is not learning at the rate of everyone else. As a result, the Eaton family goes all the way to the Ontario Supreme Court, fighting for the educational rights of all children with disabilities. The outcome? Well, you’ll just have to read the book!

This book is a short but motivating read, the kind you could read aloud to any child in just a few sittings. Perhaps the most enchanting part of this book is the way Emily’s disability is portrayed. The book goes into great detail to describe events in Emily’s life that help to shape her, and the lesson of the story goes far beyond the court trials. The reader learns what Emily experiences through her cerebral palsy, what she sees, hears, and why she does the things she does. Much of the book takes place in a classroom setting, and shows the wonderful ways other students help Emily by reading aloud to her, or pushing her wheelchair during recess. There are scenes, for example at Emily’s birthday party, where other children must work together to help her by using sign language, or even asking questions about why she does things like scream. Learning about Emily through a classroom setting helps the reader understand the disability, and see that she truly is just like any other child.

The plot follows Emily from kindergarten all the way through fifth grade, making the story applicable to a wide range of audiences. This being a true story, I believe the inspirational aspect for other children with cerebral palsy is limitless. With the inability to put words to thought, those with cerebral palsy sometimes struggle with communication with those who do not understand them. Reading this book gives clarity to uneducated readers, and a voice to those who may not have one. I would recommend this book to anyone, whether it is for educational, inspirational, or just leisure purposes.