An accessible introduction to disability and allyship.
“Being Disabled means different things to different people.”
The characters in this work use various terms to describe themselves; one character holds a sign reading “Proud To Be Crazy,” while another declares, “I’m autistic!” “We can use the words that people want us to use to describe them,” notes an unseen narrator. In straightforward, declarative sentences, Madison and Ralli emphasize that “THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS NORMAL.” Unfortunately, there is a “big problem called ableism,” which is “the untrue story that there is a normal or better way for bodies to be.” Examples include making fun of disabled people or underestimating their capabilities, as well as grown-ups voting for “leaders who build parks and schools where Disabled kids can’t play and learn with everyone else.” Fortunately, kids can advocate for disability justice by standing up to bullies, listening to disabled people, and coming together to “change unfair rules.” Eden’s cartoon illustrations clearly depict racially diverse people with myriad physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities. Interspersed questions such as “What kind of help do you need?” encourage thoughtful discussion. Backmatter addressed to caregivers offers tips on addressing disability and explores such topics as the medical and social models of disability and identity versus person-first language.
An accessible introduction to disability and allyship. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593891483
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children.
Social-equity themes are presented to children in ABC format.
Terms related to intersectional inequality, such as “class,” “gender,” “privilege,” “oppression,” “race,” and “sex,” as well as other topics important to social justice such as “feminism,” “human being,” “immigration,” “justice,” “kindness,” “multicultural,” “transgender,” “understanding,” and “value” are named and explained. There are 26 in all, one for each letter of the alphabet. Colorful two-page spreads with kid-friendly illustrations present each term. First the term is described: “Belief is when you are confident something exists even if you can’t see it. Lots of different beliefs fill the world, and no single belief is right for everyone.” On the facing page it concludes: “B is for BELIEF / Everyone has different beliefs.” It is hard to see who the intended audience for this little board book is. Babies and toddlers are busy learning the names for their body parts, familiar objects around them, and perhaps some basic feelings like happy, hungry, and sad; slightly older preschoolers will probably be bewildered by explanations such as: “A value is an expression of how to live a belief. A value can serve as a guide for how you behave around other human beings. / V is for VALUE / Live your beliefs out loud.”
Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children. (Board book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-78603-742-8
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019
A heartwarming testament to music’s emotional power.
Music moves a nonverbal child to speak.
The narrator explains that Ronan was “born quiet. Some days he hardly says a word.” Today, when Father and Mother suggest outings to the beach or park, he’s quiet. But he looks up when Grandfather bursts in and proposes attending a concert. With refreshing optimism, Grandfather proclaims it “an adventure,” though Ronan’s parents worry about the “challenge” and “risk” of taking him to a performance. And when Ronan, his dog, and Grandfather reach Symphony Hall, an adventure it is. When the music starts, Ronan is swept away in a whirl of notes. Collectively, the instruments sound like “a sky full of stars,” sending him and his cheerful pup into a space-themed reverie. Boss notes that “the darker instruments sound cool and frightening” and the lighter ones sound “warm and friendly” but does not name the instruments, a missed opportunity to deepen readers’ understanding of the music enthralling Ronan. Audience and orchestra members alike are moved to laughter and applause when the music stops, and an awed Ronan utters his first “WOW!” Kheiriyeh’s endearing, pastel-hued cartoon illustrations convey Ronan’s astonishment and joy. Though an author’s note explains that the story is based on an actual nonverbal child’s experience of a Mozart piece in 2019, details such as Mother’s pearls and housedress and Grandfather’s finned car evoke a bucolic 1950s setting. Ronan and his family present white; background characters are racially diverse.
A heartwarming testament to music’s emotional power. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781534499713
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
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