Different But The Same

”Mommy” your little one whispers. “What’s wrong with that kid over there?”

This book provides a warm and wonderful tool for parents and teachers to use when talking to children about those who are different from themselves due to disabilities. Children and adults alike will see “different doesn’t mean less than!”. Through its pages you are welcomed into Noahland, a very real place where meals are received through a tube in the tummy, and homework consists of an almost daily line up of physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy… . Yet pull back the curtain on what at first glance is just a boy with significant challenges and you’ll discover a thoroughly likeable kid who enjoys playing with friends, painting, and doing the same things typical kids do, but in a different way. Written in rhyme, and letting the obvious speak for itself, the vibrant illustrations bring to life the everyday nuances between typical and differently-abled daily living in an engaging and enjoyable way.

"This is phenomenal and amazing. Just WOW! As an educator and administrator (principal) for 30 years this book meets so many educational standards (literature with the rhyme, science with the scenery, identification of primary colors, etc.) in a fun and creative way. This book is rich with possibilities and only limited by your imagination in how this can be used to teach kids in a traditional setting using authentic literature."
Louella Simmons, Ed.D., M.Div., BCC

It is my hope that the reading of this book will result in casual as well as in-depth discussions about this topic. I hope it will alleviate the awkwardness and discomfort many children (and adults) feel when in the presence of a person with disabilities. I hope that parents and others with special needs kids in their lives will be encouraged as they see Noah and his mom focus less on the limitations of what they cannot do and more on the endless possibilities of what they CAN DO. And that can make a world of difference.

Phyllis Leyden-Alexander is an author, entrepreneur, and Noah's grandmother, whose life adventures are captured in the children's book series, "Adventures in Noahland." Noahland is a very real place where meals are received through a tummy tube, and wheelchair, leg braces, and therapies are a part of life. She writes to help reduce the discomfort some children and adults may feel around kids who are different from themselves due to disability. Phyllis brings passion (even rapping and singing country music!) along with first-hand experience to convey 'different doesn't mean less than' when speaking with school-age children, students with an early childhood education major, and educators. Her books have also been used by universities in developing lesson plans and strategies for general early education instruction. Association with Alabama's Special Camp for Children and Adults (Camp ASCCA), a nationally recognized Easter Seals camp, and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI), a part of the National Park Service, help extend Phyllis' reach in bringing awareness to the history of disability.A NYC native, Phyllis now resides in Pittsburgh, PA with husband Louis. Together they share 5 children and six incredibly perfect grandchildren, of whom Noah is the youngest.