This year, Children’s Book Week runs from August 16–23, and the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) is celebrating a huge milestone – 80 years of honouring, nurturing and acknowledging Australia’s most loved Children’s books, authors, and illustrators and promoting a love of reading for young people.
As a mother of two children and a woman with a disability, I decided to investigate further into what sort of books are around in mainstream reading avenues featuring inclusive stories for children, young adults, adults and families.
It has occurred to me that many of these stories are 'out there,' but are hidden from main view, and obviously not as favoured or popular as more mainstream stories and authors, such as JK Rowling, (Harry Potter) or Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games).
Children’s Book Week is a much-loved and anticipated week on the school calendar, often starting with a themed dress-up parade, where children come as their favourite book characters, followed by school author or illustrator visits. This year’s theme is “Book an Adventure!”
The Inclusive Stories spotlight does not shine as brightly for Us
It made me wonder why it is that many of these powerful, emotional, and inspiring true stories of inclusivity are still not getting the attention they deserve in reading lists, the media or school classrooms?
Why the quiet when it comes to celebrating and acknowledging these wonderful stories?
How can we shine a brighter spotlight on these stories that may offer comfort, advice, support, education, and above all celebrate people with disabilities, making them seen?
Stories that might offer the reader some reassurance that yes, there are stories about your experiences out here in the wider world, and it’s completely acceptable.
Perhaps that’s a conversation for another day, but certainly food for thought.
It's also got me thinking about how to better explain my own Disability restrictions or abilities to my youngest child as he grows up. Perhaps now is the time to start including some of the texts I've found in his night-time reading.
It might make him a more emotionally attuned child of those around him who have sensory-based or hidden disabilities around him in the classroom as he grows up. It may make him more patient and able to assist when others shy away from their friend who's just a little bit 'different' in the classroom.
That love of reading, and the way stories shape us, is something many of us at CPSN share.
An Inclusive Reading Adventure List
Here are few inclusive reading titles we've put together after much research. They cover a variety of different disabilities and impairments including Cerebral Palsy, Social anxiety, deafness, and amputation. There are also some books in the list about other adults with disabilites who tell through story how they adapt their environments around their disabilities.
Sam’s Super Seats - Keah Brown
A girl with Cerebral Palsy goes shopping with her best friends.
The Secret Summer Promise - Keah Brown
A young queer teenager with Cerebral Palsy has recovered from her surgery and embarks on a summer holiday that is filled with romance, friendship and finding your first love.
Tenacious: 15 Adventures alongside Disabled Athletes (Ages 7+) - Patty Cisneros- Prevo
An autobiographical picture story book compilation about 15 young disabled athletes who use adaptive sports equipment to participate in various sports.
The Best Sleepover in the World - Dame Jacqueline Wilson (Ages 9-12 years)
Lily is non-verbal, but she's learned Makaton sign language. Will she get to go to her friend’s sleepover?
The Seaside Sleepover - Dame Jacqueline Wilson (Age 9-12 years)
Daisy and her friends plan a special sleepover trip to the beach and invite Daisy's sister Lily along, who is in a wheelchair.
Can Bears Ski - Raymond Antrobus
For younger readers, little “Boy Bear” can’t hear what Daddy bear is saying, and so the two navigate going to an Audiologist together for a hearing test.
The Mermaid with no Tail - Jessica Long
Russian Born American Paralympian and orphan, Jessica Long had her legs amputated below the knee as a baby and has had a successful career as an Olympic athlete, earning over 29 medals. Her book is based upon her life story of resilience, determination, and never giving up on your dreams.
A Girl like Ananya - Karen Hardwicke
This novel for six to eight year olds is about a girl named Ananya, with a cochlear implant, and is just like everyone else. The book teaches us all about the positive aspects to hearing loss awareness.
Ling Ling Bird hears with his Magic Ears - Tanya Saunders
This colourful book is aimed at toddlers and babies up to three years old who have hearing impairments. It assists them with learning to speak and listen.
Come over to My House - Eliza Hull
Children aged three to nine years will enjoy looking into the lives of a family who have various disabilities in this picture book, to see how they’ve adapted their homes and their lives.
Komi can’t Communicate Volume 1 - Tomohito Oda
This is a Japanese Manga book series of 37 different titles for young teens aged 14-17. The protagonist, Komi, suffers from extreme social anxiety and has trouble communicating in various situations, but gradually makes friends, and forms some close bonds and friendships through various adventures.
A collection of real-life stories by various disabled parents about navigating their lives with their disabilities.
Proud to be Me - Polly Daktilly
A rhyming board book for children aged one to three years written under a pseudonym 'Polydactyly', a term for being born with extra fingers or toes by two paediatric hand surgeons, Ann Van Heest and Deborah Bohn. It educates children about physical difference, inclusivity, and that it’s important to embrace our differences and accept each other for who we are.
Growing up Disabled in Australia - Edited by Carly Findlay
A collection of real-life stories about disabled people in Australia. a nation wide call out for submissions yielded over 360 contributions, from which 40 stories were chosen for publication.
Stars in their Eyes - Jessica Walton
A Young adult romance graphic novel about being an amputee, and finding love.
Listen how Evelyn Glennie, a deaf girl, changed Percussion - Shannon Stocker
A wonderfully engaging biography featuring Evelyn Glennie, a young girl who loved music from an early age, and grew up to become one of the world’s first full time solo hearing-impaired percussion players.
Some of our Team's Favourite Children's Books are:
Slinky Malinki Open the Door - Lynley Dodd
The mischievous cat, Slinky, and his new friend Syd, the rainbow lorikeet meet up for some adventures together, but they are not sure what’s in store!
Australian Children’s Book Author Alison Lester lives in Victoria, and grew up on a country property, where this book is set. She first began illustrating other authors’ books before she began writing her own. She has 50 children's book titles to her name.
Jack forgets his sunscreen when he goes to the beach, and gets very sunburnt!
Zeek Silver Moon - Amy Ehrlich
A touching story following a young boy named Zeek, as he grows from a baby to a five year old boy.
The ‘Deltora Quest’ series - Emily Rodda
This fifteen title Adventure-fantasy book series follows a magical quest of three friends to return a series of stolen gems from various evil forces.
The 'Just’ series - Andy Griffiths
Loosely based on the series author Andy Griffiths, these collections of short stories all revolve around practical jokes and how to pull some of the best!
What happened to you? - James Catchpole
A book all about intrusive questions, and how children with disabilites should (or shouldn't) answer them.
Ready to Read
So are you ready to start an inclusive adventure of your own? Ask your local library if they have any of these in their collections, or perhaps they could order some for you. They may even be available to be downloaded as an audiobook.
We hope this list has inspired you. You can find out more about The Children's Book Council of Australia here.
We would love to hear what your favourite books are. Let us know via our socials.
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