[blindkid] Children's books addressing blindness, or featuring blind characters

Barbara Cheadle bacheadle at msn.com
Mon Feb 15 17:06:53 UTC 2010


Actually, there are several books that I think fit what you want.  I 
recently did a paper analyzing 13 books with blind characters for a 
children's literature course in my Library Science course, and I have long 
had an interest in the topic. (Most of the titles I used are in my own 
private collection of books). Each has a primary character that is blind, 
but blindness is not the main focus, nor is it even directly mentioned in 
most of them.  Check them out and see what you think.  I would be curious 
about your impressions of them.

Children's picture storybooks:

Davis, Patricia A. (2000). Brian's Bird.  (Johnson, Layne, Illus.) Morton 
Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Company.

Karim, Roberta. (1994).  Mandy Sue Day.  (RAitz, Karen, Illus.) New York: 
Clarion Books.

Young, Ed. (1992)  Seven Blind Mice.  (Young, Ed, Illus.) New York: Philomel 
Books.

Cunningham, Ann.  (2005)  Sadie Can Count, a Multi-Sensory Story and 
Illustrations.  Golden, CO: Sensational Books.  NOTE: You can purchase this 
book from the NFB Independence Market, or go to the Web site: 
www.SensationalBooks.com




For youth literature, try this one:
Savitz, Harriet-May.  (1995).  A Girl's Best Friend.  New York: Scholastic. 
ISBN 0-590-45708-X




Peace.

Barbara Cheadle
Catonsville, MD 21228
(410) 747-3472
cell: (410) 300-5232
bacheadle at msn.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Olivero, Treva" <TEOlivero at nfb.org>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 10:22 AM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Children's books addressing blindness,or featuring 
blind characters


> Heather,
> I think some of the Arthur books have a blind secondary character in
> them.
>
> Treva
>
> Treva E. Olivero
>
> Coordinator, Mentoring and Outreach Projects
>
> Jernigan Institute
>
> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>
> 200 East Wells Street
>
> at Jernigan Place
>
> Baltimore, MD 21230
>
> Phone: (410) 659-9314 ext. 2295
>
> Fax: (410) 659-5129
>
> Email: teolivero at nfb.org
>
> Visit:
> www.nfb.org/mentoring
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On Behalf Of Heather
> Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 8:09 AM
> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
> Subject: [blindkid] Children's books addressing blindness,or featuring
> blind characters
>
> Ok, so I am creating a literacy kit for my EDU200 class and I could use
> some suggestions.  We are to select a book for pre-school aged kids,
> develop games, art projects, other similar activities that appeal to as
> many of gardiner's multiple intelligences as possible, and a teachers'
> guide for the book and activities.  I was hoping to find a book that
> didn't teach about blindness, as even very small children can tell when
> they are being preached and lectured at, but rather one that features a
> blind character, prefferably a blind child character.  They can be the
> main character or just a secondary character.  The important thing is
> that the depiction be accurate, not condescending, not "In your face
> educational" and that the book have a plot and a story, not just a
> series of facts.  I searched for three hours last night on the internet
> with my fiance's help, and neither of us could find any descent books.
> They all had seriously sstigmatizing, and often inaccurate depictions of
> blindness, in a "This is what blindness is, this is what blind people
> are like, this is a guide dog, this is a cane and this is braille, the
> end." format.  I want more of a "Blah blah blah, beginning of story,
> introduce blind character, kid who just happens to be blind, blabity
> blabity blabity development of all characters and a plot line, yadda
> yadda yadda, wrap up story that has nothing to do with blindness, but
> rather some other issue important to or of interest to kids, but with a
> blind protagonist, or even antagonist.  Blind kids are no more always
> little angels than are sighted kids.  I hope someone knows what I mean.
> Not having found a decent book like this I can't even offer up examples
> of what I would like.  Any reccomendations would be appreciated.  Thanks
> much.
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