3rd December International Day of People with Disability

This year is the 20^th anniversary of International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD), a United Nations sanctioned day that aims to promote an understanding of people with disability and encourage support for their dignity, rights and well-being. The day seeks to increase awareness of the benefits of the integration of people with disability in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. This morning on the radio I listened to a fascinating interview with Kurt Fearnley, an Australian athlete who has achieved amazing success despite being born without the lower part of his spine. His speed in a wheelchair led me to think of picture books which depict children in wheelchairs who are experiencing success at what they choose to do. Three that came to mind are:

• Seal Surfer by Michael Foreman. This is the story about a boy, Ben and his grandfather who witness the birth of a baby seal. The boy loves surfing and feels very comfortable in the water swimming with the seals. One day when he gets into trouble in a rough surf, the baby seal comes to his assistance. The text in the story does not tell you about the boy's disability. You know only from observing a wheelchair in the illustrations.


• Arabella by Wendy Orr and Kim Gamble. This too is a story about a boy and his grandfather. Matthew is staying with his grandfather who is a keen sailor. Matthew wants to prove to himself that he can sail by himself but unfortunately chooses a time when a storm is brewing. Once again the illustrations hold the key to learning about Matthew's disability.


• Susan Laughs by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross. In this story the reader observes Susan taking part in a variety of activities. She appears to be having fun swimming, riding a horse, playing at the park and then right at the end the reader sees her wheelchair.

These three stories are easy to share with a class or group of children. They focus attention on the similarities between these children and all children and they provide readers with a lot to discuss.

3rd December International Day of Persons With Disability

International Day of Persons with Disability is celebrated worldwide and aims to promote a positive image of people with disability and showcase their skills, abilities, contributions and achievements. With young children such as the ones I teach it is important that they see that children with disabilities are more like them, than different from them, and four picture books that stress this, and in the process show their main characters positively are:

* Susan Laughs by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross

* Dan and Diesel by Charlotte Hudson and Lindsey Gardiner

The added bonus with both of these books is that the reader doesn't know Susan and Dan are disabled until the very end. Susan is in a wheelchair and Dan is blind.

* Arabella by Wendy Orr and Kim Gamble

* Seal Surfer by Michael Foreman

Both of these books are about young boys and their grandfathers. In each the boy is eager to assert his independence and manages to do so, one through sailing alone and the other surfing. Both have beautiful illustrations and plenty of drama so they make for good discussions about risktaking.

13th July Marcia Brown (1918) Anna Grossnickle Hines (1946) Kim Gamble (1952) Anita Jeram (1965)

Well if the 11th was a big author day, this is a big illustrator day! Marcia Brown wrote and illustrated many stories, but the memorable ones are retellings of traditional stories and it is her illustrations that therefore won awards. She won the Caldecott Medal three times and was awarded the Honor Medal six times. This is truly amazing! Her books look old fashioned to my children, but whenever we read and discuss one they often comment something like, 'but that was good'. In the library we have the three winners, Cinderella; Once a Mouse, a lovely story about fairness from Ancient India with wood block illustrations and Shadow, a prose-poem translated from French that is set in Africa. As well we have her traditional version of Stone Soup which always serves as a good comparison to the modern versions such as that by Jon J. Muth and Tony Bonning.

Anna Grossnickle Hines, also American is best known for her beautiful 'quilted' illustrations, even though she has her name on numerous other things, even Curious George. Her quilts are sumptuous and spectacular and such a novel way to make illustrations. See her two poetry anthologies Winter Lights and Pieces. Her quilts can be seen on her website.

Thirdly, Australian Kim Gamble, who in Australia needs no introduction, as his work in the Tashi and Minton series of books is loved by every Australian child. Of course he has done other books, but these books are a good introduction. He is so generous with his artwork, leaving pieces at every school he seems to visit. He draws while the children watch and contribute ideas. Every day at work I get to look at three amazing Kim Gamble artworks on the library walls. How lucky am I?

And lastly, English illustrator, Anita Jeram, famous for Guess How Much I Love You and the other Little Nutbrown Hare books written by Sam McBratney, is also popular in the library for her illustrations of Sam, the little brown bear in Amy Hest's series of books about him. However, my favourite is Anita's book Contrary Mary. The mice in this title really make me smile and remind me of the 'joys of motherhood'.