Ada and the Helpers: American Sign Language Alphabet Edition

Winner of the 2022 Northern Lights Book Awards in the Concept Book category!

The 2022 Eric Hoffer Award recognizes the significance of Ada and the Helpers as:

• Grand Prize Finalist
• First Horizon Award Finalist (for debut authors)
• Honorable Mention in Children's Book Category

"Be bold! Be brave! Let you be you... and let's help others, too!" That's Ada's motto.

Ada is a dancing, deaf fox with cochlear implants who loves to help others. On her way to dance in a talent show one day, she meets three other creatures who are each facing a physical challenge or disability of their own. She decides to help each of her new friends to see past their challenges and discover their natural, God-given strengths. But can they help her in return? Ada's a bit nervous about the talent show!

Will she be able to hear the music clearly?

Will everyone laugh at her?

Pick up a copy of Ada and the Helpers today and follow Ada and her new friends on an exciting new adventure that inspires friendship, helping others, inclusion, and finding your strengths. Plus, your child can learn the ASL alphabet at the same time! The rhyming nature of the story is welcoming for hearing kids, but is especially helpful for young children who are hard-of-hearing.

As an adult, you'll love the surprise ending that brings all the nostalgic feels for your inner 80's child!

This children's book comes with some special features, including:

• One word spelled out using the American Sign Language alphabet on each spread of the story (14 in all) in diverse skin tones so that you can help your child practice learning the ASL alphabet and begin fingerspelling.
• An ASL alphabet chart in the back of the book. By the way, the hardcover edition has a double-sided dust jacket that also serves as an American sign language alphabet poster, perfect for hanging in your child's bedroom or in the classroom!
• The book also introduces three of the ling sounds used in the Ling Six Sound Test, which is used to help audiologists, special educators or teachers of the deaf, and parents or hard-of-hearing children assess whether or not the child can hear and recognize the full range of vocal sound. By helping your child associate these phonics with the characters in the book, it becomes easier for you to practice these sounds with them.

Masterfully illustrated by fine artist Melissa Fischer, Ada and the Helpers is a beautiful book that your child will want to read over and over again. Whether they are deaf or hard-of-hearing and use hearing aids or cochlear implants to assist them, or you simply want to introduce the concept of sign language to your hearing children, Ada and her friends will be instant favorites in your household or classroom!

NOTEWORTHY REVIEWS

"The story of Ada and the Helpers is language rich and weaves the use of American Sign Language Alphabet throughout as the pages teach new vocabulary words related to this magical story. I really enjoyed how Ada met a diverse group of new friends along her journey and how they all found their strengths to form a bond to help each other.  This book is a must for all families!!!"
Dr. Johnnie Sexton, Au. D * Executive Director and Founder, The CARE Project

"It is not often that a story about a disability is so well done... What an important message to convey to kids right now - 'let's help others too.' Hopefully, this is not the last we will see of Ada and her friends!"
★★★★★ Reader's Favorite five-star review from Kristine Zimmerman