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Original poster

Positive portrayals of disabilities in children's fiction

37 replies

steviesmith · 25/02/2011 21:53

I was set the task of finding books featuring children with disabilities as part of my librarian studies.

My 3yr old DS's collection of books feature a couple of children in wheelchairs and the local library is no better really. So can anyone recommend any good books, ones with proper plots rather than thinly disguised discussions of issues?

Any age group really but I'm particularly interested in younger children.

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bruffin · 04/03/2011 22:56

What Katy Did/ What Katy Did Next

MissCromwell · 04/03/2011 10:09

Warrior Scarlett by Rosemary Sutcliffe is a classic where the hero is a bronze age boy with a withered arm who has to slay a wolf to be initiated into his tribe. He has a one-armed hunter as a mentor. It's very well done. Rosemary Sutcliffe was herself disabled - result of childhood polio - and I think she may have done other books with disabled characters/themes.

Jeanne Willis has a picture book all about a girl in a wheelchair - can't remember name now.

lots33 · 03/03/2011 14:06

I read a book called 'Sweet Frannie' in the 80's - she was in a wheelchair.

mamaduckbone · 02/03/2011 21:39

Blabbermouth by Maurice Gleitzman is about a girl who can't speak, so not physical disability but it's very positive and deals with the issue of teasing / prejudice well. It's probably suitable for about 8 years and over.

Original poster
steviesmith · 02/03/2011 21:32

Thank you all for your suggestions. Congratulations Becsteroony on your award; your book looks great. It's really naive of me but I'm absolutely shocked by how poorly represented children with disabilities are. I'm even more shocked that it didn't occur to me there was something missing from my DS's book collection until now.

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DilysPrice · 01/03/2011 20:16

I've always read Wibbly Pig's Silly Big Bear (Mick Inkpen) as being about disability. And would second Sleepover Club by Jacqueline Wilson.

I love the Percy Jackson books but am very ambivalent about their disabilities=superpowers theme.

dahu · 01/03/2011 20:05

Welcome home Jellybean by Marlene Fanta Shyer

It is a bit dated, set in New York in the early 80's?, but good to see how things have progressed in the last decade..

Becsteroony · 01/03/2011 19:55

Hi, I'm the author/illustrator of Just Because - about my son and severely disabled daughter (just found out today it's been shortlisted for the NASEN children's book awards - yay! - and also worth checking out if you're researching this kind of thing). Anyhoo, positive portrayals of disabled kids in books and the media us a bit of a bugbear of mine - I've written articles in various magazines and The Independent on the subject - sorry this is starting to sound like a CV! What I'm trying to say us if you want to get in touch about anything please do - you can email me via my website www.rebeccaelliott.com . Thanks! Rebecca xx

StewieGriffinsMom · 01/03/2011 18:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

meditrina · 01/03/2011 17:55

The Percy Jackson series? All the demi-gods are dyslexic and have ADHD (it's to do with being hard-wired for ancient Greek, not modern English, and being in a constant state of battle readiness).

GreenToes · 01/03/2011 16:01

Not sure if this is quite what you were looking for but it was one of my favourites when I was little and the main character cannot walk. I don't remember the full story but I think he is banished because he is disabled.

MaryBS · 01/03/2011 16:00

"Topsy and Tim make a new friend" is good for younger children, their friend is in a wheelchair.

There's also Can I Tell You About Asperger Syndrome? by Jude Welton. It doesn't have a plot, but is excellent for explaining the condition in the form of a story. Suitable for 8+

talkingnonsense · 01/03/2011 15:59

Cross post!

talkingnonsense · 01/03/2011 15:59

Izzy, willy nilly, is about a girl who loses a leg and has to adjust. Deenie, by judy Blume is about a girl with scoliosis.

thumbwitch · 01/03/2011 15:56

Yes it is tabulahrasa! Thank you for setting my mind at ease :)

BellsaRinging · 01/03/2011 15:54

From ages ago Deenie by Judy Blume, where the heroine is a girl with scoliosis. Also, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon, but I'm not sure how much this is aimed at children.

tabulahrasa · 01/03/2011 15:53

"which tv show it is that I've seen (children's) that has a black child in a wheelchair with such severe asthma that he can only speak 2 words at a time."

Malocolm in the middle isn't it?

thumbwitch · 01/03/2011 15:42

found this while I was trying to work out which tv show it is that I've seen (children's) that has a black child in a wheelchair with such severe asthma that he can only speak 2 words at a time. Anyway - the link has a Literature section which gives some other sources of books that might be of interest to you.

StewieGriffinsMom · 01/03/2011 15:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BellaBearisWideAwake · 01/03/2011 15:30

This might be way too young, but I have a baby signing book of animals and each animal is signed by a picture of a toddler and there are some with hearing aids, etc.

www.pricerunner.co.uk/pl/802-66573120/Books/My-First-Animal-Signs-(Baby-Signing)-(BSL)-Compare-Prices

oftenpurple · 01/03/2011 15:26

Moonbird by Joyce Dunbar and Jane Ray is a beautiful story about a prince who can neither hear nor speak. The illustrations are stunning and the story quite charming.

thumbwitch · 01/03/2011 15:21

If you were including asthma in "disabling conditions" then the Seven Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix has a 12yo boy with severe asthma as a hero (he loses it magically but he starts off with it)

Also, Terry Pratchett has an asthmatic boy, Bigmac, in his "Johnny" series.

Can't think of any others at the moment - agree that the classics are not very good with disability (reflection of society at the time).

saintlyjimjams · 01/03/2011 15:13

this might be a bit young but Ian's walk is lovely. My husband and I ended up all choked reading it. Blush

Original poster
steviesmith · 01/03/2011 15:11

Thank you all. The scope website is great.

It would be really interesting if there were any classics with positive portrayals of disability but I can't think of anything. They all seem to be insipid heroes like Tiny Tim or What Katy did or villains like Long John Silver.

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sethstarkaddersmackerel · 28/02/2011 18:31

actually I've just remembered, the heroine in Waterbound wasn't disabled herself but virtually all the other characters were.

are you including classics with weird and cliched portrayals - Heidi, The Secret Garden, Dombey and Son (isn't Paul Dombey an invalid?)