Friendships and People with Disabilities
A Literature Text Set Annotated Bibliography
Chaconas, D. (2006). Dancing with Katya. Atlanta, Georgia: Peachtree Publishers.
This book is set in the early twentieth century, where Anna and her sister Katya love to
dance. When Katya becomes ill with polio and too weak to even walk, both sisters
wonder whether Katya will be able to dance again. After Katya receives treatment, both
sisters are surprised to find that Katya can still dance, even if it is in her own way.
Glenn, S. (2004). Keeping Up with Roo. New York: Putnam Juvenile.
This book centers around Gracie and her aunt, Roo. Roo loves Gracie, loves to teach
Gracie new things, and enjoys playing games. However, when Gracie brings a friend
home from school, she suddenly finds herself embarrassed that Roo has the mindset of a
child and the body of an adult. Eventually, Gracie comes to realize that even if Roo is
unlike many adults, she is still a fun person and deserves to be included.
Herrera, J.F. (2004). Featherless. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press.
Tomasito was born with Spina Bifida and thus uses a wheelchair to get from place to
place. He is disheartened when he learns that the family is moving again and has to cope
with the many questions that come with new people and places. When Tomasito makes a
friend, Marlena, he gets the chance to play soccer with the team. Tomasito realizes that
although he has some limitations, he can make adjustments and do normal, everyday
things like his friends.
Keats, E.J. (1971). Apt. 3. United States: Macmillan Company.
When Sam and his brother Ben hear someone playing the harmonica in their apartment
building, they set off to find the musician. They find the person they least expect,
overcome their fear of a blind man, and make a new friend. This story illustrates the
power of music and how happy someone can be when they are finally included and not
feared.
Klein, A.F. (2007). Max Learns Sign Language. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Picture Window
Books.
Max and Susan are great friends. Susan is deaf and speaks with her hands (ASL). Max
wants to speak with Susan this way, takes the initiative, and signs up for classes to learn
ASL. Max practices what he learns and Susan helps him too. At last, Max and Susan
can communicate clearly.
Cisneros 1
Liao, J. (2006). The Sound of Colors: A journey of the imagination. New York: Little, Brown
and Company.
The unnamed character has lost her vision in the last year. She describes her journey
through the Subway station, her hopes and dreams, and how her imagination keeps the
colors in her memory. She also talk about her fears, that maybe one day when she takes
the last step, the ground might disappear. She describes her uncertainty and how she is
not always quite sure of where she is. This book gives a powerful description and
different perspective to how people with visual impairments see the world.
Millman, I. (2003). Moses Goes to the Circus. New York: Frances Foster Books.
This is the third book of a series about Moses, a boy who uses ASL to communicate.
Moses, his little sister, and his parents go to Big Apple’s Circus of the Senses, an event
specially designed for the deaf, hard of hearing, and the blind. Moses helps his baby
sister learn to sign too, before she can even talk. This book engages the reader by giving
the option to practice signing with directions and pictures.
Ripley, M. (2003). Private and Confidential: A story about Braille. New York: Dial Books for
Young Readers.
When Laura gets the opportunity to be a pen pal, she jumps at the chance to write to
Malcolm in Australia. However, when one of her letters does not beget any kind of
response, she becomes concerned until she hears from Malcolm’s sister. She is surprised
to learn that Malcolm is blind and undergoing surgery (hence, why she did not receive a
response). She also learns that his sister has been reading her letters to him since he can
only read in braille. Laura is able to borrow Braille typewriter and she and Malcolm are
able to successfully send letters back and forth after this. This book contains a Braille
alphabet card with Laura’s letter written in Braille.
Seeger, P. & Jacobs, P.D. (2006). The Deaf Musicians. New York: Penguin Group
Lee, a pianist, suddenly starts to lose his hearing. It isn’t long before his band asks him
to leave since he can no longer play successfully in a group. Afterwards, Lee goes to a
school for the deaf, thinking that he might learn something new. He learns ASL and
meets Max who plays the sax. One day they use ASL to play music with their hands. It
is not long before they are joined by a bassist and a singer. They become very popular
and many people watch and listen as they play. This book is a testament to the power of
music and language.
Shirley, D. (2008). Best Friend on Wheels. Morton Grove, Illinois: Albert Whitman &
Company.
Cisneros 2
The unnamed narrator tells us about her best friend, Sarah, who uses a wheelchair. She
proclaims all the ways they are the same and what their lives are like. She talks about
how she met Sarah and what it’s like to meet other people. This book has colorful
illustrations and can be read with great rhythm and rhyme.
Woloson, E. (2003). My Friend Isabelle. Bethesda, Maryland: Woodbine House, Inc.
This is a picture book about Charlie’s friendship with Isabelle, a young girl with Down
Syndrome. Charlie notes the differences between him and Isabelle and talks about his
relationship with Isabelle. Charlie also talks about what he learns from Isabelle and what
they have in common.
Yin. (2002). Dear Santa, Please Come to the 19th Floor. New York: Philomel Books.
This book is about Willy and Carlos, two best friends who live in a rough neighborhood.
After a car accident, Carlos is left paralyzed from the waist down and is convinced that
Santa would never come to the 19th floor, especially for himself. Willy, disheartened by
his friend’s lack of faith writes an email to Santa, giving him directions to Carlos’s
apartment. The adventure truly begins when Santa arrives and climbs 19 flights of stairs
to meet Carlos. Both boys are surprised as it turns out that Carlos also wrote to Santa on
behalf of his friend Willy. This book is a good demonstration of how disabilities affect
everyone, especially friends and family.
Cisneros 3
Lesson Strategy One
“Challenges and emotions that people with disabilities face”
Grade Level: 2
Objective: Children use their problem-solving abilities to help others and illustrate these
solutions.
Materials: Text Set (Friendships and People with Disabilities), Poster board or large sheets of
paper, markers, crayons, tape
Teaching Sequence:
1. Display the text set where everyone can see it. The assumption is that students have seen
and browsed through the books in the text set before.
2. Read aloud Shirley’s Best Friend on Wheels. Make sure that students clearly see how
Sarah makes people comfortable when they first meet and how Sarah’s best friend pushes
her wheelchair for her.
3. Discussion: ask students what challenges Sarah faced in the book and how she met those
challenges. How did her friend help her? This discussion essentially models what the
students will do next.
4. Give the assignment: Students will work in pairs or groups of three to choose one book.
They will create a poster that presents (1) a person with a disability’s challenge (pick
one), (2) a way for that person to meet the challenge, and (3) a drawing or illustration that
demonstrates how the person’s challenge can be met.
5. Give students ample time to read through each book, think about the assignment given,
and create the poster. This will be approximately 40 minutes.
6. Have the groups present their book and poster and describe how they came up with their
solutions. Foster discussion amongst the class about different solutions to meet
challenges. Make it clear how people without disabilities can help those who do, but also
how people with disabilities enhance the lives of those without disabilities.
Assessment: I will know that my students have met the objective by viewing their posters and
listening to their presentation. The discussion will also help me determine whether or not
students met the objective.
Cisneros 4
Lesson Strategy 2
“What does it mean to be a friend?”
Grade Level: 2
Objective: Students will examine relationships, write, illustrate, or act out how to be a friend.
Materials: Text set (Friendships and People with Disabilities), Posterboard or large pieces of
paper, tape, markers, paper, pencils, construction paper
Teaching Sequence:
1. Display the text set (Friendships and People with Disabilities) where all the students can
see it. The assumption is that all students have had a chance to browse and look through
the books in the set.
2. Lead a short discussion and ask children what it means to be a friend. Go through
different aspects of friendship: how to be one, how to make them, what friends do
together, what friends talk about, etc.
3. Give the assignment: (Part 1) Students work in groups of 4 to pick two books. Students
will examine the friendships or relationships in those books. Students will write and
illustrate how the characters were friends and what their relationship was like (what they
did, liked to do, talked about, etc.) on a poster.
4. Give the students enough time to examine the books, think about the assignment, and
create their poster. This will be approximately 40 minutes.
5. (Part 2) Students then have the option of acting out in a group or writing individually
(narrative, poem, short story) what it means to be friend. This will be approximately 40
minutes with time to write and get organized and then to perform if any students want to
act it out.
Assessment: The groups’ posters will be used as an assessment as to whether the students could
examine the relationships in the books. Part 2 will also help me to determine whether or not
students reached the objective.
Cisneros 5
Friendships and People with Disabilities: Book Chart (Sloppy Copy of all books considered)
#
Title &
Author
Gen.
Know.
System
Culture
Other
prspctvs.
Rdg.
Level:
Grade
Other
Value to
Set
1
My
Friend
Isabelle.
E.
Woloson
Fic.
Friendship
Down
Syndrom
e
Charlie
K-2
Inspired
set topic
Simple
and
concise
2
Who’s
That Girl?
M.
Montes
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Fic.
The
Summer
Fic.
of the
Swans.
B. Byars
The
Haunting Fanta
of Granite
sy
Falls. E.
Fic.
Ibbotson
Making
Waves.
Fic.
C. King
Best
Friend on
Fic.
Wheels.
D. Shirley
Private
and
Confident Fic.
ial. M.
Ripley
Featherles
s. J.F.
Fic.
Herrera
Dear
Santa,
Please
Fic.
Come to
the 19th
Friendship
and Bullies
Hisp.
And L.D.
Gabi
2-4
Spanish
Dif.
Culture,
higher
reading
level
Sibling
responsib.
MR,
Autism?
Charlie,
Sara
4-6
Doesn’t
fit
None
Ghosts
N/a
Omni.
4-6
Doesn’t
fit
None
Town life,
redemption
Afr. Am.
Donnette
Adult
Mature
None
Friendship
Disab’s
Sarah’s
BFF
2-4
Rhyme
Perfect for
set topic
Friendship,
Pen Pals
Vis. Imp.
Laura
1-4
Tactile
Braille
Chart
Friendship,
Persever.
Spina
Bifida
Tomasito
1-3
Bilingua
l/
Spanish
Sp. Bif.
Friendship,
Feelings
Hisp., atrisk
Willy
K-3
Santa
Disabilitie
s’ strain
on others
Cisneros 6
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Floor.
Yin
Max
Learns
Friendship,
Sign
Fic.
Sign
Language
Language
. A.F.
Klein
Tiger’s
Rehabilitati
Fall. M.
Fic.
on
Bang
The
Sound of
Imagery,
Fic.
Colors. J.
Metaphors
Liao
Moses
Goes to
Circus,
the
Fic.
ASL
Circus. I.
Millman
The Deaf
Musicians
ASL,
by Seeger Fic.
Music
and
Jacobs
Bear in
Fanta
the Chair.
sy
Friendship
L.V.
Fic.
Seeger
Dog
Changes
Fanta
His
sy
Friendship
Name.
Fic.
L.V.
Seeger
Play with
Me! Play Fanta
with Me!
sy
Friendship
L.V.
Fic.
Seeger
Deaf
Omni.
K-2
Efforts
to
comm.
in dif.
ways
Disabled
Omni.
3-6
Recover
y
Dif.
Prspctve.
Vis. Imp.
Vis.
Impaired
Narrator
K-4
Hope,
dreams
Abstract
Deaf
Omni.
K-3
ASL,
Series
ASL
Deaf
Omni.
K-2
ASL,
Music
Abilities
None
Omni.
PK-1
Irreleva
nt
None
None
Omni.
PK-1
Irreleva
nt
None
None
Omni.
PK-1
Irreleva
nt
None
18
Apt. 3 by
E.J. Keats
Fic.
Friendship
Vis. Imp.
Omni.
K-3
Great
illustrati
ons!
19
Dancing
with
Katya by
Fic.
Polio,
friendship
Phys.
Disability
Anna
K-3
Historic
al
Sign
Language
Music,
making
friends
Phys. Dis.
And
illness
Cisneros 7
20
D.
Chaconas
Keeping
Up with
Roo by S.
Glenn
Fic.
Friendship
MR
Omni.
K-3
Family
Friendship
Cisneros 8
Friendships and People with Disabilities: Reflection
When I began this project, I knew that I wanted it to revolve around people with
disabilities. This was mostly because I had recently read a book by Eliza Woloson: My Friend
Isabelle. This book was so simple, but it was clear with great illustrations and a great message.
As for process, I went to the Denton and Desoto Public Library and used the online
catalog to find books under the subject of people with disabilities. I would write these titles and
their location down before going to find them and check them out. I did find most of the books,
but there were a few I could not find even if the catalog said that they were checked in. After all
this, I read through all the shorter books and skimmed the large chapter books that I ended up not
using for the final text set. I really wanted to keep this to a younger audience or those with a
lower reading level. As I explored and examined each book, I filled out my chart. I created the
annotated bibliography, strategies, and visual after this.
While creating my strategies, I found it to be a lot more difficult planning a lesson around
a set of books rather than doing it the other way around. Some books were very similar, such as
My Friend Isabelle and Best Friend on Wheels. Some books, like The Sound of Colors, were so
much different and one could almost argue that they do not fit into the text set, but are such a
valuable asset to have. Although I have given the set a specific title, the point of this set is to
become more aware of people with disabilities, friendships with these people, and lesson the
stigma that comes with having a disability. Reading some of these books can expose us to very
unique perspectives that we could not imagine on our own.
Also, I greatly enjoyed books like Moses Goes to the Circus and Private and
Confidential. These books included guides to help the reader learn simple sign language and to
read Braille. I loved these two books! It was so cool to kind of get my foot into the door of
other cultures. I plan to get these books someday to keep in my own collection.
After all the reading, I also came to cherish the books about communication and music.
The Deaf Musicians and Apt. 3were fantastic! It really goes to show how powerful music is,
even if the deaf or blind have to experience it in different ways. There is a movie, “Mr.
Holland’s Opus” that also explores this topic.
After all is said and done, I am really proud of what I produced. As a future special
educator, I know that I will use something like this set in the future and that doing this project
has enhanced my beliefs about working with people with disabilities. I hope that more people
will be able to see what I see: that people can do and contribute more than what they can’t do.
Cisneros 9
Friendships and People with Disabilities: A Text Set
What can I do with this text set? (A Visual)
Explore ASL
Practice Braille
Solve Problems
Examine relationships
Explore the power of music
Reach Eng. Lang. Learners
(Spanish)
Use imagination
Cisneros 10