6th January Bean Day (Part 4) Jonathan Bean

Jonathan Bean is an author illustrator based in Pennsylvania in the US. Until his picture book Building Our House, I hadn't noticed his illustrations in other authors books, but after doing a search I realised I already had books in my library with his illustrations, even one by an Australian author, Wendy Orr's novel,  Mokie and Bik Go to Sea. Lynne Jonell's series of novels about Emmy had been popular with a small group of good readers and I loved their covers, but hadn't 'twigged' to the fact that Jonathan was the illustrator. Last year I added Deborah Underwood's Bad Bye, Good Bye and At Night which I really love and thus got a new appreciation of Jonathan Bean's work. I am now off to buy his newest title This is My Home, This is My School. Very few of the students I teach would know about homeschooling so I'm sure this book will lead to some interesting discussion.

When I do displays in the library I always 'go off on tangents' so sometime this year as part of the International Year of Pulses, Jonathan Bean will have his own display as an 'author/illustrator to watch'!

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.