Using Children’s Literature to Learn about Disabilities and Illness

Dr. Blaska was concerned that books with characters with disabilities and illnesses were not being incorporated into the curricula in early childhood programs. During a sabbatical she researched this genre of literature, locating books and outlining strategies on how to use the books. She incorporated her research findings into the volume, and this newly revised edition updates these strategies. The book is designed for parents and early childhood professionals to help young children (birth through third grade) learn about disabilities and illnesses through children’s literature, and allow all children to have the opportunity to learn about diversity of ability much like they learn about cultural diversity.

Dr. JOAN BLASKA was a professor at St. Cloud University for seventeen years, teaching in the Department of Child and Family Studies. She trained students to work with young children with and without disabilities. Dr. Blaska's research areas include emergent literacy and literacy rich environments, diverse children's literature and understanding the emotional impact of parenting a child with disabilities. Her book, Using Children's Literature to Learn about Disabilities and Illness, is based on more than 10 years of research in the area of children's literature that includes characters with a disability or illness. Dr. Blaska has worked extensively with early childhood programs on curriculum issues and with families who have children with disabilities.