2 Books to Read this March

As we re-emerge from winter as well as the pandemic, it's important to remember that strong communities are made up of diverse individuals who come from different backgrounds, have different skillsets, and may even have different abilities.

The National (U.S.A.) Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) recognizes March as the National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month to encourage and raise awareness for the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities throughout our communities. Not everyone experiences barrier-free environments, so it's important to be accommodating and understanding of different struggles people may be experiencing.

To help your kids understand what developmental disabilities are and how they can impact our nine essential skills, we have found the following books you can read with them.

My City Speaks (2021)

Written by Darren Lebeuf and illustrated by Ashley Barron

"A young girl, who is visually impaired, finds much to celebrate as she explores the city she loves. A young girl and her father spend a day in the city, her city, traveling to the places they go together: the playground, the community garden, the market, an outdoor concert. As they do, the girl describes what she senses in delightfully precise, poetic detail. Her city, she says, “rushes and stops, and waits and goes.” It “pitters and patters, and drips and drains.” It “echoes” and “trills,” and is both “smelly” and “sweet.” Her city also speaks, as it “dings and dongs, and rattles and roars.” And sometimes, maybe even some of the best times, it just listens." —Kids Can Press

Calgary Public Library Link: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S95C1449966

El Deafo (2014)

Written and illustrated by Cece Bell

"Starting at a new school is scary, especially with a giant hearing aid strapped to your chest! At her old school, everyone in Cece’s class was deaf. Here, she’s different. She’s sure the kids are staring at the Phonic Ear, the powerful aid that will help her hear her teacher. Too bad it also seems certain to repel potential friends. Then Cece makes a startling discovery. With the Phonic Ear she can hear her teacher not just in the classroom but anywhere her teacher is in the school—in the hallway . . . in the teacher’s lounge . . . in the bathroom! This is power. Maybe even superpower! Cece is on her way to becoming El Deafo, Listener for All. But the funny thing about being a superhero is that it’s just another way of feeling different . . . and lonely. Can Cece channel her powers into finding the thing she wants most, a true friend? —Amazon