Posted: July 29, 2015
No child can have enough books; a book can take them away from their situation for a while or inspire them to step out of their comfort zone. However, the challenge is still there to find books that are specific to the special needs community. After we completed our first post about books for special needs children, we went back out there to find five more books that serve the special needs community.
As we noted before, the inclusion of any books in this list is not necessarily an endorsement but to better demonstrate to parents the types of books available that deal with special needs or Cerebral Palsy for their child(ren).
“Keep Your Ear on the Ball” by Genevieve Petrillo:
This book by Petrillo is best suited for children ages 8 and up. It is about a blind child who overcomes the stereotype that he always needs help. When the child tries to join in on a kick-ball game, his classmates have to figure out how to adjust the game so the child could be included while still respecting his independence. This book can teach young children to include special needs children and to respect the child’s need for independence.
“Different Like Me: My book of Autism Heroes” by Jennifer Elder:
This book is written from the perspective of a young boy with Asperger’s syndrome. He talks about his favorite famous people who have Autism and their accomplishments. This would be a great example for 8 – 12 year olds of how individuals can get past their challenges and still do amazing things.
“Just Because” by Rebecca Elliott:
This book is for ages 5 – 7 and will show children about accepting someone for who they are. “Just Because” is a great book for someone who has a sibling with special needs because it is from a perspective of a brother who sister is special needs. The book illustrates all the fun things the brother loves to do with his sister and how he loves her for who she is.
“The Adventures of KatGirl” by Katherine Magnoli:
The author herself is in a wheelchair and is an advocate for people who feel different. This book is about how KatGirl – a superhero in a wheelchair – handles being confronted by someone who doesn’t understand her situation. There are three other books that show the superhero helping other children who are being bullied. These are fun books to show a child that bullying someone who is different is wrong and that acceptance matters.
“Taking Cerebral Palsy to School” by Mary Elizabeth Anderson and Tom Dineen:
This last book is for ages 5 and up. It is from a perspective of a child with Cerebral Palsy who answers questions that other children may be curious about. This book talks about different conditions of CP and illustrate how it affects children. It even includes examples of equipment that are made to help children with Cerebral Palsy.
Overall, books should inspire and encourage their readers, even the ones with special needs. It is important to find books that your child can relate too and we know that can become a challenge. We hope this second list of books can ease the challenge and add books to your child’s bookshelf. If you know of any books that would be good for the special needs community, feel free to submit your suggestion through a comment.
If you have any questions regarding Cerebral Palsy or books for children with special needs, don’t hesitate to call us at (800) 692-4453
(800) 692-4453 FREE or fill out our contact form on Facebook or our website.
