[LM_NET] HIT: ELEM Dyslexia read-aloud picture book

[M L <rylor4@GMAIL.COM>]

Dyslexia Picture Books


I can’t believe I forgot about Patricia Polacco’s “Thank You Mr. Faulkner”.
Many people suggested that book. I love this listserv! I get so many great
resources from everyone! Thank you to everyone!



Original Post

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month and we are planning on doing a few
activities (my school has students 1st-12th grades with reading/learning
challenges). We are having high school students’ talk to elementary students
about their struggles and strategies that have worked for them.

I was planning on reading "It's Called Dyslexia" by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos
to the elementary students. Does anyone have any other ideas of good
read-aloud picture books about dyslexia or other learning challenges?
I'll post a hit.



Responses:

Two of the best books I've seen recently are:

Esham, Barbara.  If you're so smart, how come you can't spell Mississippi?
 1st ed.  Ocean City, MD: Mainstream Connections, c2008.  Katie is very
surprised when her father--one of the smartest people she knows--was unable
to help her study for her third grade-spelling test because he admitted to
not knowing how to spell Mississippi. This
leads her to want to find out more about dyslexia. She goes to the library
and finds out about many great people who were dyslexic. Does this mean that
Mark Twingle, the kids who sits in front of her, can't spell anything and is
always getting bad grades, could really be smart? After Katie learns more,
she knows he is. And she is going to be the person to tell him.

Robb, Diane Burton.  The Alphabet War: a story about dyslexia. Morton Grove,
Ill. : Albert Whitman & Co., 2004. Learning to read is a great struggle for
Adam, but with expert help, hard work, and belief in himself, he wins "The
Alphabet War." Includes information about dyslexia. This story follows Alex
from when he is in pre-school, listening to stories on his mother's lap,
year by year to fourth grade. Over the years his experiences in school go
from happy inclusion, to feeling less and less successful as he struggles
with reading. Once his dyslexia is diagnosed he works with a specialist who
helps him to overcome his difficulty, and some teachers make accommodations.
But
he has to work. Hard. And finally, one day he realizes after reading, that
he has heard the sound of the cannons on the pirate ship, just like he did
when his mother read to him years ago, only this time, he did it himself.

Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco who is dyslexic, recounts her
experience with a wonderful teacher.

****************

Thank you Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco is terrific.

**********

My favorite is Thank You Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco. It is her own
success story.

***************

Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco is excellent.  It is based on the
author's own experience as a dyslexic child.

***********

I highly recommend Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco.  You can find
out more at http://www.patriciapolacco.com/books/falker/falker_index.html .
 It's a darling book and the high schoolers can also discuss the impact of
teasing with the 1-2 graders. I've used it in my SPED classes when I used to
teach and kids really connected to it.

t's not a picture book, but Don Johnston has a biography -- "building wings"
-- http://www.donjohnston.com/offers/buildingwings_online/one/index.html
I believe there's an audio version of him reading it at the site.

***********

Try "Thank You, Mr. Falker" by Patricia Polacco. This is autobiographical
and wonderful.



There's a sweet picture book about dyslexia by Deborah Hodge called *Lily
and the Mixed Up Letters*.  It never uses the term, but it's clear from what
Lily goes through that that's what she has.



Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester is one of my favorite read alouds.  It
focuses on a speech lisp and bullying.

I agree with Gayle that Thank You Mr. Falker is the best. But here are a few
other options:

The Alphabet War by Diane Burton Robb
Lily and the Mixed-Up Letters by Deborah Hodge

I love books that don't label kids and their abilities as
inadequate/not-normal.

I love Patricia Polacco's, "Thank you, Mr. Falker".  Patricia Polacco was a
late bloomer in reading.

Some other titles that embrace so-called differences and illustrate the fact
that we all have them (ha!):

Angela's Wings by Eric Jon Nones
I like Me by Nancy Carlson
The Crayon Box that Talked by Shane DeRolf
On the Day You Were Born by Debra Frasier
Just Because I am: A Child's Book of Affirmation by Lauren Mursphy Payne
Shapesville by Andy Mills and Becky Osborn

I thought of another book.  It's not a picture book, but it's a worthwhile
title.

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd is about a boy with Asperger's
Syndrome.  Ted knows that his brain is "wired differently," but that does
not stop him from solving the mystery that has the "experts" baffled.

I have this first resource that was always helpful for explaining
Ian's dysgraphia to others AND to him. All of the books listed are
from the Big Springs Center & School website. There is a links page.
The link to choose is under Learning Disability Links, first column -
www.retctrpress.com
  (Richard's Educational Therapy Centre Press. You remember - Regina
Richards? The founder and the one who asked me to draw pictures for
her book.) Regina always had a great sense of dysgraphia as a handicap
and how it was even more difficult for people; harder even than
dyslexia!

But, also check out "Eli, the boy who hated to write." When Writing's a
Problem
Details: Regina G. Richards presents the stages of writing, effects of
different pencil grips on writing, and dysgraphic symptoms, along with
guidelines to help identify problems and provide assistance to
students. 44 pages, paperback, 1995, 1999, 2002, 2005
List Price: 11.00
Price: 8.00

Regina G. Richards 3 book set special
Details The Regina G. Richards Book Set contains three books written by
Regina: LEARN; Memory Foundations for Reading (MFR); and When Writing's
a Problem. A $20 savings off the regular retail list price when you
buy all three as a set. ($6 off our discounted web only price)
List Price: 55.00
Price: 35.00


The following are also great resources:

Eli, The Boy Who Hated to Write: Understanding Dysgraphia
Details

THE FIRST EDITION HAS COMPLETELY SOLD OUT! BUT A NEW EDITION IS OUT. IT IS
BIGGER AND BETTER! - 144 PAGES! ELI WROTE MORE STORIES AND REGINA ADDED A
WHOLE SECTION ENABLING PARENTS AND TEACHERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON
AT EACH STAGE. THIS BOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE! FROM 1ST EDITION... Eli I.
Richards first wrote this story when a junior in college, along with his
mother, Regina G. Richards,
M.A. The story provides an understanding of writing struggles from the
perspective of a young student in 5th grade, explaining the frustrations,
successes, and strategies.
List Price: 20.00
Price: 16.00


The Neuropsychology of Written Language Disorders
Details Steven G. Feifer, Ed.S., NCSP & Philip A. DeFina, Ph.D., have
written
this Diagnosis and Intervention Workbook to share their vast
experience and expertise in the field with teachers and other
clinicians. The Neuropsychology of Written Language Disorders:
Diagnosis and Intervention Workbook discusses both language-based and
nonlanguage-based written language disorders from a brain-based
education model of learning. It is intended for school psychologists,
occupational therapists, speech pathologists, special educators and
school administrators. Some of the key chapters include: Shortcomings
of Intelligence Tests Subtypes of Dysgraphia Working Memory and
Written Language Executive Functioning and Written Language The 90
Minute Dysgraphia Evaluation Remediation Strategies for Dysgraphia 200
pp., softcover, 2002.
Price: 40.00




Write Brain Write
Details  Write Brain Write: Proven Success Tools for Developing the Writer
in
Every Student by Anne Hanson, MA. This very practical and dynamic book
explains what should educators know about the brain and learning while
also developing effective and passionate student writers in
classrooms. 222 pages, paperback, 2002.
Price: 33.00

“The Alphabet War” by Diane Robb.

“Lily and the Mixed Up Letters” by Deborah Hodge

“If you're so smart, how come you can't spell Mississippi?” by Barbara Esham

The Hank Zipzer series by Henry Winkler

“Thank You Mr. Falker” by Patricia Polacco






-- 
Michelle Levy
School Library Media Specialist
Eton Academy
Birmingham, MI
rylor4@gmail.com (home)
mlevy@etonacademy.org (work)

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