The Thing About “Different”

Posted on 09/11/2012

For Teachers

BULLYING HURTS:Teaching Kindness Through Read-Alouds and Guided Conversations by Lester L. Laminack and Reba M. Wadsworth (Heinemann, 2012)

I’m starting today’s post with a book I’ve not actually read yet. It’s newly published and I only just received the flyer in the mail.  But in my years of teaching, I’ve always found Heinemann books to be of the highest quality, and I feel confident in recommending this book to educators interested in using literature as a jumping off point for conversations about children who are “different.”

Find the introduction, a sample chapter, and the Table of Contents HERE.

For Independent Readers

The Thing about Georgie by Lisa Graff (Laura Geringer Books, 2006)

The thing about Georgie is that he’s a dwarf – only 42 inches tall – , in the fourth grade, and worried that his new soon-to-be-born baby sibling will grow up to be taller than he is. To make matters worse, Georgie’s best friend, Andy, is mad at him and, because of that, Georgie finds himself stuck doing the Abraham Lincoln project with Jeanie the Meanie, his all-time worst enemy since kindergarten.

This engaging story explores the issue of “physical differences” with humor and a light touch. It’s not a new book, but it’s one you won’t want to miss.

LOSER by Jerry Spinelli (Joanna Cotler Books, 2002)

Donald Zinkoff isn’t like all the other kids. He doesn’t realize it, of course. Not at first. And neither do the others in his class. Zinkoff looks as much like a regular kid as all the other regular kids do. But he’s clumsy, his handwriting is atrocious, and when he raises his hand to answer a question, five times out of six, his answer is wrong.

It’s not until Zinkoff lands in Mr. Yalowitz’s fourth grade that Zinkoff is “discovered.” That’s the year his teacher moves him to the front row. And it’s the year his classmates finally get “big-kid” eyes and are able to see the differences that, while not outwardly “physical,” are differences, nonetheless.

As an adult reading LOSER, I found myself wondering from time to time whether a child like Zinkoff could really get all the way to fourth grade without attracting the attention of his fellow classmates. But my small quibbles with the believability of some of the scenes doesn’t detract from my admiration for the book and my belief that it will make for some interesting classroom discussions on the topic of differences.

The Wild Book by Margarita Engle (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012)

Fefa has trouble with words. They jump around like hopping frogs trying to trick her, jumbling and spilling off the page. But Mamá has an idea – a blank journal that she gives to Fefa, with the encouragement to take her time sprinkling words across the page of her wild book, and the promise that if she will do so, her words will sprout and take root. They do, eventually, and what Fefa has learned by means of tenacious determination plays a key role in uncovering a bandit. Inspired by the true stories of the author’s maternal grandmother, THE WILD BOOK, is an interesting look at dyslexia.

 

Ostrich and Lark by Marilyn Nelson

Posted on 09/10/2012

Some books are extraordinary, even haunting.  OSTRICH AND LARK is one of these books.  This picture book by Marilyn Nelson with illustrations by the San artists of Botswana is unforgettable.

The story of Ostrich and Lark is a variation of the universal story of finding one’s own voice regardless of the physical limitations and physical body in which one lives.  Ostrich is big, flightless and even song-less.  His best friend, lark, sings from morning till night and flies into the blue African sky whenever he wishes to join the other birds of the veld:

“Every day, all day,

Over the cicada’s drone,

A drizzle of buzzings fell,

And a downpour of birdsong.

Hornbill, bee-eater, hoopoe, diederik,

Mousebird, Whydah, canary….”

The art for this book was created by six San artists who are members of the Kuru Art Project. Each page is a feast for your eyes.  The unusual colors are vibrant, intense, and pure.  The images seem to leap right off the page and carry you to the stark strange landscape of the Kalahari Desert.

Marilyn Nelson met the San artists of the Kuru Art Project while traveling through Botswana. She collaborated with the artists to create this book and introduce young readers to this ancient African culture.  The author’s proceeds will be donated to the Kuru Art Project. OSTRICH AND LARK was published by Boyds Mills Press, 2012.

Bluish by Virginia Hamilton

Posted on 09/09/2012

ZEELY was the first book of Virginia Hamilton’s, published in 1967.  BLUISH was her twentieth, published just two years before her untimely death in 2002.  Each book has its own strong and unique voice, a strong and unique theme.  But each book, each story, successfully reflects Virginia’s goal: “she saw her work as helping to portray ‘the essence of a people who are a parallel culture community of America,’ while at the same time revealing the universality among peoples.”

BLUISH brings us into the world of Dreenie and her fifth-grade class.  Students are confronted with an uncomfortable situation: a new kid.  Worse than that, the New Kid is strange – acts weird and looks, well, “bluish,” maybe about to die, usually too weak to leave her wheelchair.  Bluish is scary.

Cancer…is it contagious?  You never know.  The kids stay away from Bluish except for one, Dreenie.  But her feelings are conflicted.  What if everyone soon stays away from her because gets too close to Bluish?

The book not only shows us Dreenie’s struggle with friendships and bullies as well as her own fears, the book also shows us the struggle of a “cancer kid:” how to be independent, how to be at least a little bit normal, and how to be a friend.

This powerful story has been reissued as an e-book with a short bio and images of Virginia Hamilton included in an epilogue. Virginia Hamilton was and still is a major literary figure whose work has been recognized with nearly every possible children’s literary award.  In this classic tale of friendship, we see how difficult relationships can be when one child is faced with physical and medical challenges.

This book is a true treasure.  BLUISH shows the “essence of a people…while at the same time revealing the universalities among peoples.”

Blue Sky Press, $5.99 and now available as an e-book.

To read more in her own words: Virginia Hamilton, Speeches, Essays, & Conversations, edited by Arnold Adoff & Kacy Cook, 2010 and take a look at the official Virginia Hamilton website: www.virginiahamilton.com .

Resources that Support Inclusion

Posted on 09/06/2012

Photo by Cohdra

Upon reading Palacio‘s WONDER, the reader is struck by how ‘normal’ protagonist Auggie is in almost every way. He’s a regular kid who likes regular things like eating ice cream and playing X-Box. Despite his lifetime of countless painful surgeries, the kid has a great sense of humor and a fairly positive outlook on life. Auggie comes from a loving family, has a pleasant enough older sister, and even a great dog as a pet. Like other kids, Auggie desires to belong, to have friends, and to liked by others. Everything about his life is ‘normal’ – except his face.

As human beings, we all share basically the same desires for friendship, security, respect, and love. Whether a child has ‘special needs’ or not, their desires are really pretty basic – to be accepted by others. Orchestrating opportunities for inclusion can help the special needs child feel ‘normal’ and the ALSC has a blog full of great ideas with which to do so.

We at ReaderKidZ encourage you to take some time to peruse this great resource. Perhaps you’re looking for just the right book on the topic of special needs awareness to share with your students. If so, the post entitled Spotlight on the Schneider Award, written by Renee Grassi, might be beneficial. Renee also shares insights about working with autistic students in her post Autism in Your Library. Another example of a helpful ALSC blog post is Top 10 Ways to Tell if Your Library is Inclusive.

To be included. Isn’t that what we all, as humans, are seeking? To be liked. To belong.  The character of Auggie demonstrates that we all desire basically the same things, only some of us need just a little bit more help to get there. And the bloggers for American Library Association are always eager to offer support.

Wonder – The Book Trailer

Posted on 09/05/2012

This one line sums up the book’s entire premise.

You can’t exactly blend in when you’re born to stand out.

~ Auggie

Find a ReaderKidZ review of Wonder HERE.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Posted on 09/03/2012

The start of a new school year is ripe with opportunity and provide a chance to make new friends, learn new skills, and grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally. Books such as WONDER by R. J. Palacio can play a significant role as children navigate these important changes.

Ten-year-old August Pullman was born with severe facial deformities. I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse, Auggie says in the book’s opening. Safe and beloved in his home-schooled environment until now, at the start of his story Auggie’s entering fifth grade in a public school for the first time in his life.

The book is told in alternating voices, starting with Auggie’s and switching to his older sister, whose life has been affected by having such a brother; his supposed new best friend, who betrays Auggie; his parents, and even his sister’s boyfriend. The chorus of different voices shows the reader the multi-faceted version of any story involving a person with physical differences. WONDER is an uplifting story about a community coming together, in fits and starts, to grow in compassion, empathy, and understanding.

Welcome to ReaderKidZ, September 2012!

Posted on 08/31/2012

Photo by Kakisky

A new school year is a time of adjustment for everyone: children, teachers, and parents, alike. It’s especially challenging for children, for whom school often means new experiences, new cultures, and children who may be different than they are. For those dealing with the myriad of physical difficulties so many children are having to cope with today, the adjustment can be especially tough. But so can it be for the children who must learn the skill of empathy for those who are “different.”

Books can help. They not only help readers understand the challenges facing such children, but the feelings these children may have because of their difficulties, and the ways in which they, as new friends in school, can help ease the way.

All month the ReaderKidZ will be talking about books that address the topic of Physical Differences. Check back Tuesday for our first post of the new school year!