Books For Special Situations:

Teaching About Physical Challenges

 

            It's nothing new in the world of children's literature to address various handicaps that must be overcome. In fact, that's a recurring theme in kiddie lit, since almost every child faces at least some degree of difficulty with some form of movement, or other kinds of obstacles.

 

It's important to help your child be ready for school by exposing your child slowly and carefully to the immense diversity of human life, including people with physical challenges, differences and handicaps.

 

            Since the world of children revolves around stories, it's great to find children's literature that treats handicaps sensitively, with a happy ending. That will reassure children that, even when things go wrong, there are solutions that can make everything come out all right.

 

            One of those that's been around since 1944 is Katy No-Pocket by Emmy Payne, with illustrations by H.A. Rey, the same artist who did the beloved Curious George books. Katy is a kangaroo mother who doesn't have a pocket, like other kangaroos, so she can't carry her little boy Freddy around.

 

            She goes all over the animal world finding out how other mothers carry their children. The book provides a good starting point for a parent to question a child about differences between people.

 

The indirect approach, using a cartoon kangaroo, is a great way to build empathy and introduce concepts such as how people overcome shortcomings or handicaps with solutions such as crutches, wheelchairs, seeing-eye dogs, and so forth.

 

            The kangaroo finally finds her solution in the City, where a kind man helps her out, and everybody rejoices.

 

            The solution may be unconventional, or even funny-looking - but it works, and makes everybody smile. Isn't that the great thing about books? They provide answers for body and soul.

            By Susan Darst Williams • www.AfterSchoolTreats.com • Reading • © 2010