March is Developmental Disability Awareness Month! Started in 1987, the initiative celebrates the inclusion and contributions of people with developmental disabilities.
According to the US Department of Health, developmental disabilities are differences that are usually present at birth, and that uniquely affect the trajectory of the individual’s physical, intellectual, and/or emotional development. These include (but are not limited to):
Reading books featuring characters with disabilities has several benefits for young ones. First, it is crucial for children from marginalized groups to identify themselves in the books they read. Second, such books allow children to learn about lives and stories different from their own. Third, exploring diverse stories encourages empathy towards oneself and others.
The following picture books showcase the experiences, challenges, and accomplishments of children with disabilities.
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When Miss Greer asks each child in the class to write a story, second-grader Aaron, who loves to draw but struggles with reading, creates a story using pictures. You can also check out this title as an eAudiobook and eBook on Hoopla or as an eBook on OverDrive/Libby.
When a little boy brings his older brother, born with one hand, for show-and-tell, his classmates ask him all sorts of questions and realize we’re all different in one way or another. Based on the author’s life.
This poetic and uplifting picture book illustrated by the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of “We Are the Gardeners” by Joanna Gaines follows a young girl born with cerebral palsy as she pursues her dream of becoming a dancer.
This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby.
Laila feels like her sparkly sunshine birthday celebration is on the brink of ruin when it starts to storm. But with the help of her mom and a little alone time with her service dog, she knows she can handle this.
Laurie doesn’t hear well and that can be hard sometimes, until the ear doctor gives her hearing aids. Based on the author’s childhood experience, the story is rooted in the physical realities and challenges of communication.
A young girl with a visual impairment explores her city with her father, taking in all its sensory details. This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby and as an eBook on Hoopla.
A beautiful and inclusive picture book all about celebrating being yourself from Down syndrome advocate and viral sensation Sofia Sanchez.