Hug a crab

An Easy Read Book for adults with intellectual disability.

Eddy has a cockatoo called Fred.

Fred is Eddy's emotional support bird.

Fred says all the things Eddy wants to say but cannot.

Fred is rude and honest and funny.

He speaks up about things that bother Eddy like

• • when support workers take smoke breaks and make Eddy wait
  • people who treat Eddy like a child
  • strangers who stop to pray like Eddy's life is bad and needs fixing
  • big organisations that make life boring or hard.

The words Fred uses are limited to the common words he has heard on an AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) board. This means Fred finds creative ways to say what Eddy is feeling.

This Easy Read book is perfect for

• people who use AAC or know someone who does
• adults with intellectual disabilities looking for a fun and relatable story
• disability advocates
• support workers, teachers, and families who want to encourage inclusive communication
• anyone interested in accessible disability-friendly books.

Fred speaks up for what others might not say.

If you've ever wanted to say what you really think then you need a bird like Fred!

Comedy with a cause.

Large print. Minimum 14pt.

Casey Gray is a disability advocate and writer.She uses stories to help people make friends.Casey is leading the way in using the Easy Read format to write books for adults with intellectual disability.She writes about things that will connect with adults with disability.Her books are fun to read.Casey hopes libraries and bookshops will build an 'easy language' book shelf that has books that are easy to read for adults. This will create meaningful choice for adults with disability who find reading and writing hard.Casey uses books and the sharing of stories to bring accessible events to mainstream programs. For example writer's festivals and the local library.By doing this she helps people build relationships with themselves and others.Relationships and belonging are important to Casey.