Sometimes, we simply don’t have the right words to explain difficult subjects to our children.
Talking to our kids about people with special needs and disabilities can be a daunting subject to tackle, especially if we are explaining the needs or disabilities of a sibling, friend, or relative.
Luckily for all of us, there are some great books out there written to not only help explain and encourage children to embrace people with disabilities, but to also help kids with special needs interact with their peers.
Here’s a look at three top-rated books available right now on bookseller sites like Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
In this touching book comprised of real-life accounts from siblings of children with special needs or serious illnesses, kids from age 3 to 18 tell in their own words what life is like living with their special sibling.
These stories chronicling the tales of 40 different families share a lot of advice for parents and siblings on how to deal with the things happening in their families.
Kingsley also provides a child-friendly glossary to explain the many different disabilities and medical conditions mentioned throughout the book including words like ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, cystic fybrosis, and more.
Many Ways to Learn: Young People’s Guide to Learning Disabilities by Judith M. Stern and Uzi Ben Ami
This guide uses a positive, friendly approach to define and illustrate the different types of learning disabilities as well as their origins, while providing reassurance to the child about their disability.
The book also describes the effects learning disabilities may have on emotions, behavior, and academic performance while offering proven coping methods for home, school, and friendships.
In addition to featuring a first-person account from a child with learning disabilities, the guide also includes a chapter on computers and an excellent resource list for parents.
The overall message in Many Ways to Learn is having a learning disability doesn’t make a child dumb—they just have to work harder and find different ways to learn.
Every child longs to make friends and get along well with others, but for kids on the autism spectrum, this doesn’t come easy.
This interactive workbook, aimed at children ages 7 to 11, teaches kids a range of strategies directed at broadening their social understanding skills through fun activities meant to be appealing to today’s youth.
Children will explore and put to real-life tests with activities that explore five different themes including “What is a Friend?,” “Being a Friend,” “Making Friends,” “Real Friends,” and “Staying Friends.”
By targeting the specific ages of 7-11, this workbook teaches ASD children how to participate in successful human interactions during a time in which friendships and peer acceptance are crucial.