3rd December International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD)

 

International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is held on 3 December each year.

IDPwD is a United Nations (UN) observed day celebrated internationally. It aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability and celebrate their achievements and contributions.

The theme for IDPwD 2022 is ‘Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world’.

Not an easy theme to explain to very young children, but 'inclusion' isn't and is good to see that there is beginning to be much more inclusion depicted in the illustrations in picture books. Looking through pages of  new picture books set in a school you will see children with disabilities, children with all skin colours and types of hair and dress. of course there is still more to do though.

I wrote about this day last year and the books suggested there are still worth looking for. I always find sharing Emmanuel's Dream,  the inspiring true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah with a class and then looking for him online to see what he is doing currently to ensure others with disability are also included inspires students to discuss widely and to look for other pioneers in this area. The students know of Dylan Alcott and Kurt Fearnley and now that Kurt has been appointed Chairman of the Board of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)hopefully he will have an even higher profile and his adamancy that children should see people with disabilities in their daily life will have a very positive effect.

Three books that will also expand awareness of disability and initiate discussion are: 

• We Move Together  by Kelly Fritsch et al

A bold and colorful exploration of all the ways that people navigate through the spaces around them and a celebration of the relationships we build along the way. We Move Together follows a mixed-ability group of kids as they creatively negotiate everyday barriers and find joy and connection in disability culture and community. A perfect tool for families, schools, and libraries to facilitate conversations about disability, accessibility, social justice and community building. 

• I Am Not a Label  by Cerrie Burrell

Meet 34 artists, thinkers, athletes and activists with disabilities, from past and present. These short biographies tell the stories of people who have faced unique challenges which have not stopped them from becoming trailblazers, innovators, advocates and makers. Each person is a leading figure in their field, be it sport, science, maths, art, breakdance or the world of pop.

 • Just Ask  by Sonia Sontomayor

Sotomayor celebrates the different abilities kids (and people of all ages) have. This book looks at the special powers these kids have. As the kids work together to build a community garden, asking questions of each other along the way, this book encourages readers to do the same: When we come across someone who is different from us but we're not sure why, all we have to do is Just Ask. 

3rd December International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD)

International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is held on 3rd December each year.  The UN give it a theme, which this year  is ‘Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world’.

School with students has finished for me this year, but this is a day well worth sharing with classes and picture books. Many disabilities have a day of their own, but here is a smattering of books worthy of a display in your school library. I have listed books that are in my library, but you will find others, I'm sure.

Books with a focus on children who have mobility difficulties or wheelchairs.

• What Happened to You?  by James Catchpole & Karen George

• Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari & Patrice Barton

• Susan Laughs by Jeanne Willis & Tony Ross

• I Will Dance by Nancy Bo Flood & Julianna Swaney         

• Woodpecker Girl  by I-Tsun Chiang & Chingyen Liu  

• King For a Day  by Rukhsana Khan & Christiane Kroemer 

• Seal Surfer  by Michael Foreman 

• Arabella  by Wendy Orr & Kim Gamble (OOP but probably in the school library)

• All the Way to the Top  by Annette Bay Pimental & Nabi H. Ali (a biographical episode from the life of Jennifer Keelan)

Books with a focus on children who are dealing with sight issues 

• The Patch  by Justina Chen Headley & Mitch Vane

• Lucy's Picture by Nicola Moon & Alex Ayliffe (OOP Lucy's grandfather is blind)

• The Black Book of Colours  by  Menena Cottin & Rosana Faria 

• Six Dots:  A Story of a Young Louis Braille  by Jen Bryant & Boris Kulikov

• Annie and Helen by Deborah Hopkinson & Raul Colon

• Helen's Big World by Doreen Rappaport & Matt Tavares 

• Yuko-Chan and the Daruma Doll  by Sunny Seki

• Looking Out for Sarah  by Glenna Lang

Books with a focus on children dealing with deafness

• Can Bears Ski?  by Raymond Antrobus & Polly Dunbar

• Freddie and the Fairy by Julia Donaldson & Karen George 

• Hands and Hearts  by Donna Jo Napoli & Amy Bates

•  Moses Goes to a Concert  by Isaac Millman

• The Boy in the Jam Jar  by Joyce Dunbar & John Shelley

• Boy by Phil Cummings & Shane deVries

• The Race by Christobel Mattingley (OOP but probably in the school library)

Of course there are other disabilities, but this is a good start and enough for a display!

 

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.