Why I Wrote the “I See ABILITY!™” Book
A couple years ago, I produced these clay dolls of children illustrating different abilities. At first, I thought it would be a great idea to make enough of these dolls to sell. Once I realized the work it would take to produce the dolls and then try to sell them I changed direction, and decided I could share the importance of these dolls through book form. That’s when I decided to create the “I See ABILITY!™” book.
If you are interested in learning more about the book and the characters, please visit this link- http://iseeability.com/dolls/ If you would like to purchase my book, please click here. How do you focus on people’s abilities? What advice can you share with others who may have difficulty seeing past the disabilities in people? Please feel free share your thoughts on this in the comment box below.
My book is a board book for all ages. It is made in board book form to increase the independence of those who may have challenges turning thin-paged books. You may be wondering how my book is different from other children’s books out there? For one, my book doesn’t have a lot of text, however, it has tons of visuals which make it a perfect book for visual learners or people who tend to be stimulated visually. Furthermore, my book aims to highlight the abilities of the characters. In fact, it’s the only thing addressed. I believe there are so many talents and abilities in the world and I’m so happy to highlight these in people who are often seen first for the diagnosis they might have and their abilities are a secondary factor. As an occupational therapist and sibling to a brother, who has many talents and also has Down syndrome, I have seen this emphasis come first many times. From what I have experienced, their diagnosis is only one piece of them. There are so many other pieces as well to discover and enjoy. The book “I See ABILITY!™” displays children’s talents and skills only. In creating this book, my hope was to remind anyone who has a child that is differently abled, teachers who work with children or people in general who come across people who may be different than them to be reminded that the conversation with these people doesn’t have to revolve around their diagnosis, and, in fact, there are more many more beautiful and positive aspects of children’s lives that we can focus on. Upon meeting a new person who has a difference, you may wonder, “what does this person do at 8:00 at night”? “What is their favorite hobby?” “What color are their eyes?” I hope my book continues to be a positive reminder for people to see the diagnosis as one spoke on the many spokes on the person wheel!
If you are interested in learning more about the book and the characters, please visit this link- http://iseeability.com/dolls/ If you would like to purchase my book, please click here. How do you focus on people’s abilities? What advice can you share with others who may have difficulty seeing past the disabilities in people? Please feel free share your thoughts on this in the comment box below.
