Emily Included
by Kathleen McDonnell
Second Story Press, 2011
ISBN 978-1-926920-33-7
$8.95, 126 pp, ages 8 – 14
www.secondstorypress.ca
What would you do if you were unable to speak for yourself and adults were making decisions about the rest of your life? Give up? Act out? I hope not! If you don’t show the same courage and perseverance that Emily did, you may not end up understood at all.
Emily has cerebral palsy and doesn’t have much control of her movements. She cannot walk on her own, she can’t see very well, and she is unable to speak, but that doesn’t stop Emily from living her life to the fullest! The problem is, Emily is no longer allowed to attend her neighbourhood school because it’s not equipped to meet her needs. Her family has been told she’s no longer welcome. Is this fair? Is inclusive education something that can be denied to both Emily and her neighbourhood friends? This excellent biography exposes the reader to the world of living with disabilities and to the advantages of inclusive education for all children.
Classroom Connections: This is a great text for making connections about challenges children have to overcome, additional challenges for those living with disabilities, and questioning laws that govern children’s education and freedom.
Review by Amanda Forbes.
This review is from Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Sept/Oct 2012 issue.
