Ducks teaching disability?

Lemon the Duck by Laura Backman

Lemon the duck in real life!

                Lemon the Duck is a children’s picture book  based on a real-life story of Lemon. This book takes a new angle toward disability education from some of the other books I have evaluated. The book opens in a children’s classroom, where the duck hatchery is beginning to hatch baby ducks. However, the students soon notice one duckling was different than the others. Lemon, the special duck was named for her fluffy yellow feathers. The children ask their teacher why Lemon does not stand the way the other ducks. As the other ducks began to grow, Lemon still could not stand or walk. Lemon has a problem with her balance, and as a result she will always need special attention. When the other ducklings go to live on a farm, Lemon stays with the students. The children pay close attention to Lemon, by feeding her, and helping her to swim. Still wanting to help Lemon walk, the students try to come up with ways they can help her. Eventually, one student named Richard finds a way to help Lemon stand. The students use a life vest to hold Lemon up so she can stand. Soon, Lemon is able to do everything just like all the other ducks, just with a little extra help.

                Disability is portrayed very differently in this book. Instead of seeing a main character who is human, we see a duck who is a class pet with the disability. This new way helps students see disability in a new way. The student’s desire to help Lemon and to care for her is inspiring. The students learn Lemon can be just like any other duck. The lesson of this story is important because disability is being introduced in a very neutral and loving way. Instead of pinning a disability to a person, it is connected to an animal. I believe this can help children to understand disabilities because the care shown for Lemon is applicable to humans. This book is a great read-aloud text. The illustrations are adorable and engaging. The positive ending will leave young readers and listeners smiling. Check out this article about real life Lemon!

Talking Slow and Loud makes it Worse: Deafness in Children's Literature

El Deafo by Cece Bell

El Deafo is a graphic novel written by Cece Bell. This adorable comic tells the story of Cece, a young girl who was born deaf, and who faces the challenge of going to school with children who aren’t like her. Cece finds herself self-conscious of her hearing aids, and the embarrassing cords attached to them. Along with the problems brought on by her hearing aids, Cece deals with finding the right friends, doing well in school, and crushing on a boy. As stated preciously, this is a graphic novel. And the characters are all bunnies! The illustrations are adorable, and I found they in fact universalize Cece, instead of pinpointing her and her disability to a certain look. Scholars Debbie Golos and Annie Moses discuss the way graphic novels and picture books are effective in the portrayal and education specifically regarding deaf characters in their article, "Representations of Deaf Characters in Children's Picture Books". Click here to check it out!

The way Bell portrayed a hearing disability was extremely informative, being that the story is told from Cece’s point of view. As a reader who knows very little about the deaf community, I was able to learn so much about someone who is deaf, and how best to speak to them…normal! Bell does an incredible job of educating, but also showing readers Cece is just like everyone else, crushing on guys, making new friends, and going to school. One great example of the educational factor of this book is Cece describing the way one of her friends speaks to her saying, "Ginny sure is nice! But how can I tell her that it's harder to understand her when she talks so loud and so slow?" (65). I would say this book is definitely geared at a grammar school age audience, however that is not to say an older reader would not enjoy the book. Deafness is one disability that children may not be as exposed to, and it is important to educate children on what it is like to be deaf, and that children with hearing disabilities are the same as you and I. The disability in this graphic novel serves as a way to show readers that everyone has their own struggles, whether they are as visible as hearing aids or not.