Aludlam Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 That was a hard title to come up with, because I want to be respectful, yet get my point across. My 15dd volunteers at a children's museum. Yesterday, an adult group came in on an adventure and dd was paired with a nonverbal adult male. To begin with, she said he just grunted and made sounds but over the course of the time they spent together she said that she began to understand him. Long story short, she said that she just felt peacefully working with him. She glowed when she came home. I know today that she will question me about books and videos. At this point everything is a potential career to explore. Could you guys please recommend some books ( fiction or nonfiction) or videos in which the main character works with people with mental disabilities? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahW Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 Major Christian content: The first thing I thought of was Henri Nouwen's Adam: God's Beloved. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freelylearned Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 In the Al Capone Does My Shirts series by Gennifer Choldenko, the main character's sister has severe autism, I believe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 No suggestions. (Lori will hopefully respond). But can I say how great your school is? I love that THAT was her response, it very easily could have gone another way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 Flowers for Algernon came to mind. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SanDiegoMom Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 Out of My mind by Sharon Draper. Fifth grader with Cerebral Palsy who cannot speak or talk but has a photographic memory and learns to communicate using a computer. Ends up joining the school's Wuiz Bowl but still experiences subtle discrimination. It's very good. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aludlam Posted March 4, 2017 Author Share Posted March 4, 2017 No suggestions. (Lori will hopefully respond). But can I say how great your school is? I love that THAT was her response, it very easily could have gone another way. You made my heart smile! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlktwins Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 Out of My mind by Sharon Draper. Fifth grader with Cerebral Palsy who cannot speak or talk but has a photographic memory and learns to communicate using a computer. Ends up joining the school's Wuiz Bowl but still experiences subtle discrimination. It's very good. We just read this for a literature class. My boys (6th graders) loved it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 I really enjoyed Torey Hayden's books on working with children with emotional and cognitive disabilities as a teen. Mary McCracken is another teacher who wrote about teaching children with developmental and learning delays. There are also two foster parents in the U.K. who have written books about their experiences with foster children-Casey Watson and Cathy Glass. Not all of theirs deal with disabling conditions, but some do. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 Alice With Golden Hair -Allison Means Hull 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 (edited) A Hellen Keller biography and/or biography about Anne Sullivan. Sorry, not mentally disabled, but great life stories. Edited March 7, 2017 by wintermom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 After a few books of normies writing ABOUT disabled people, I would suggest books written BY disabled people. Disabled people often see things very differently than outsiders and caregivers. To get such a bad case of PTSD and then to suffer brain damage from seizures thrust me from being an outsider to an insider. I have such a hard time dealing with caregivers that I have to avoid them more and more. I receive care at one center that was founded on lowering the divide between staff and "guests" but over the years as staff has changed, I kept pointing out to the few remaining staff how much it was changing and how much even they were being influenced by their new peers. Stuff kind of came to a head recently and a certain staff member is now aware of how deep the divide is now. And I'm going to have to be more independent and rely on them less. Disabled is not subhuman. We are fully human. Reading too many mainstream books by caregivers can do more harm than good, and result in yet another well-meaning caregiver being more hurtful than necessary. If she thinks she wants to go into this field, I would have her saturate herself with what insiders think before allowing herself to become prejudiced by outsider accounts. She will get enough of that during schooling and training. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marisolstice Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Benny and Joon? One of my favorite movies. Maybe Rain Man, too, though it's been years since I watched it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 "The curious incident of the dog in the night time" is from the perspective of an autistic boy, and tries to explain how he sees the world. In the non-fiction department, I'd also recommend books by Temple Grandin. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Library Momma Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 The Acorn People - Ron Jones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 Major Christian content: The first thing I thought of was Henri Nouwen's Adam: God's Beloved. Yes! I was going to suggest this. I always wish there was this type of community for my son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 Not a book, but a friend's blog that might help your dd understand what it is like to live with mental disabilities: https://stilllifewithdementia.wordpress.com/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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