We’re autistic, we’re human, get used to it
Some dehumanizing descriptions of autism are negative. For example, some people believe that we are incapable of love, or incapable of imagination, or incapable of understanding anything of importance.
Some dehumanizing descriptions of autism are positive. For instance, some people believe that we are incapable of lying, incapable of being manipulative, and that we always say exactly what we mean.
Autism doesn’t work that way. We are fully human, for better and for worse. We are fallible. We make communication mistakes. We don’t always know what we mean, and we don’t always express ourselves clearly. For instance, sometimes we say things that feel direct but that are actually very confusing. That’s human.
We are capable of treating others well, and we are capable of treating others badly. We are capable of caring about others, and we are capable of indifference. We are capable of being kind, and we are capable of being cruel.
Autism means having disabilities that can affect how we communicate, how we move, and how we understand things. Autism doesn’t make us better than other people, and it doesn’t make us worse. We’re not subhuman, and we’re not superhuman. We’re just people.
Looking for picture book recommendations
I think that picture books with disabled characters are probably really important, but I don’t know of many.
I’m looking for books that are *not* disability awareness books, but books where disability is just part of the world.
Eg: I saw a picture book once that was about going to the doctor, and one of the people working in the office was an adult wheelchair user. She wasn’t sick, she was just at work working.
Does anyone know what that book is called? Or other picture books where disabled characters exist but the story isn’t about disability awareness?
http://offbeathome.com/book-for-child-with-disability/
This is a link to the author’s piece about the children’s book they published, Meet Clarabelle Blue. In the author’s words, they tried to focus very much on the character’s life, as she happens to be disabled, and not on her disability. It might fit a bit of the kind of books you’re looking for.
Thank you!
An author came and worked with one of my students and he has a whole series of picture books The disability gang! I love them and so do my kids! Also the author has a disability himself.
I love Hannah Ensor’s picture books too - Welly Walks and Baking Biscuits both have wheelchair using characters whose disabilitiy is not specifically mentioned and is entirely incidental to the story. I have them on my bookshelf for visiting kids!
(Source: realsocialskills)
Looking for picture book recommendations
I think that picture books with disabled characters are probably really important, but I don’t know of many.
I’m looking for books that are *not* disability awareness books, but books where disability is just part of the world.
Eg: I saw a picture book once that was about going to the doctor, and one of the people working in the office was an adult wheelchair user. She wasn’t sick, she was just at work working.
Does anyone know what that book is called? Or other picture books where disabled characters exist but the story isn’t about disability awareness?
Unfortunately, the one disability-focused blog about disability representation in the media that I know of ( @disabilityinkidlit) specializes in middle grade and young adult books (ages 8 or 9 through 18) and therefore does not include picture books.
But, there are blogs that attempt to cover all kinds of diverse representation–including disability representation as well as diverse racial representation, lgbtiqa+ representation, etc. Perhaps this master list of blogs about diverse representation in the media could help you find the right blogs that would have better leads for you:
https://ramblingjustice.wordpress.com/blogs-on-representation/
More specifically, check the section on disability representation, the section on all types of diverse representation, and the section on diverse representation specifically in books. Possibly also the section on diverse representation in all types of media, though anything here that might be relevant is probably already cross-listed in one of the other sections.
(Source: realsocialskills)
More reader picture book suggestions
moretufflesspuff said: Miss Bindergarten has featured students with disabilities. Schools first Day of School by Adam Rex has children with disabilities (and the school itself deals with the bullies and being shy).
mrskaaay said: Daniel Tiger is geared toward the really young, but Chrissy uses braces to walk. The books are based on episodes of the show but leave out bits so you’ll likely see Chrissy, not Chrissy The Handicapped.
goodnightmoonvale said: There is a Curious George book about how he goes to the park to play with his friend who is in a wheelchair and she’s really good at basketball. It’s called “curious George joins the team”
Looking for picture book recommendations
I think that picture books with disabled characters are probably really important, but I don’t know of many.
I’m looking for books that are *not* disability awareness books, but books where disability is just part of the world.
Eg: I saw a picture book once that was about going to the doctor, and one of the people working in the office was an adult wheelchair user. She wasn’t sick, she was just at work working.
Does anyone know what that book is called? Or other picture books where disabled characters exist but the story isn’t about disability awareness?
http://offbeathome.com/book-for-child-with-disability/
This is a link to the author’s piece about the children’s book they published, Meet Clarabelle Blue. In the author’s words, they tried to focus very much on the character’s life, as she happens to be disabled, and not on her disability. It might fit a bit of the kind of books you’re looking for.
Thank you!
An author came and worked with one of my students and he has a whole series of picture books The disability gang! I love them and so do my kids! Also the author has a disability himself.
(Source: realsocialskills)
Looking for picture book recommendations
I think that picture books with disabled characters are probably really important, but I don’t know of many.
I’m looking for books that are *not* disability awareness books, but books where disability is just part of the world.
Eg: I saw a picture book once that was about going to the doctor, and one of the people working in the office was an adult wheelchair user. She wasn’t sick, she was just at work working.
Does anyone know what that book is called? Or other picture books where disabled characters exist but the story isn’t about disability awareness?
I remember the Miss Bindergarten’s Kindergarten picture books had a student in the kindergarten class who used a wheelchair, but the books weren’t about disability.
(Source: realsocialskills)
July 4th
July 4th is almost here, please take the time to ensure you and your pets are prepared. Many pets have noise phobia and fireworks can be torturous to them. We see lots of hit by car cases and lost pets this time of year because pets get afraid and run away, sometimes even breaking through windows and doors because they are so scared.
- Make sure your pets are microchipped AND that all the information is up to date. This is the best way to reunite you if the worst happens.
- Keep pets inside during the holiday, even animals that seemed fine before can become scared and will bolt or injure themselves.
- If you know your pet is scared, go to the vet now. There are lots of solutions ranging from Thundershirts to a really great medication for noise phobia called Sileo. Your vet can help you choose.
- If having a BBQ or cookout, make sure guests know not to give food to your pets. Our ER’s are full of dogs with pancreatitis and other GI disorders the day after.
- Clean up! Pets will eat trash, firework wrappers, wooden skewers, etc. Never underestimate what they will and won’t eat and play it safe and don’t leave anything around.
Looking for picture book recommendations
I think that picture books with disabled characters are probably really important, but I don’t know of many.
I’m looking for books that are *not* disability awareness books, but books where disability is just part of the world.
Eg: I saw a picture book once that was about going to the doctor, and one of the people working in the office was an adult wheelchair user. She wasn’t sick, she was just at work working.
Does anyone know what that book is called? Or other picture books where disabled characters exist but the story isn’t about disability awareness?
http://offbeathome.com/book-for-child-with-disability/
This is a link to the author’s piece about the children’s book they published, Meet Clarabelle Blue. In the author’s words, they tried to focus very much on the character’s life, as she happens to be disabled, and not on her disability. It might fit a bit of the kind of books you’re looking for.
Thank you!
(Source: realsocialskills)
Picture book recommendation
Ettina Kitten said:
I haven’t read it, but I’ve heard that So Don’t! & See What Happens by Sarah Leal is a picture book with a main character in a wheelchair who uses AAC and the plot isn’t about her disability.
realsocialskills said:
Thank you! It looks like it might be hard to get ahold of a copy, but it’s good to know it exists.
Does anyone else know of books like that?
Looking for picture book recommendations
I think that picture books with disabled characters are probably really important, but I don’t know of many.
I’m looking for books that are *not* disability awareness books, but books where disability is just part of the world.
Eg: I saw a picture book once that was about going to the doctor, and one of the people working in the office was an adult wheelchair user. She wasn’t sick, she was just at work working.
Does anyone know what that book is called? Or other picture books where disabled characters exist but the story isn’t about disability awareness?