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BOOK SHELF FAVES Cooped up indoors with kids? With travel restrictions preventing family holidays, the best way to explore outside your reality is through art and imagination. These five children’s books are a lot of fun, plus they come with the important lesson that we might all be different, but we all love going on adventures!
THE ADVENTURES OF MISSY MOUSE - LOIS STRACHAN Missy Mouse Goes to the Park is the first instalment of this four-book series for children, written by Lois Strachan and illustrated by Colleen Gomez about a blind mouse who relies on her other senses. Lois has received great feedback from families about the series: “It allowed their children to understand that someone with a visual impairment is just an average, everyday person who does things with different techniques.” Lois has also written a memoir-style book for grown-ups called A Different Way of Seeing.
FERGUS AND DELILAH MISA ALEXANDER, ERIN KNUTT Delilah’s friend Fergus might be wired a little differently, but the pair enjoys exploring and playing together. Self-published in 2016, picture book Fergus and Delilah was inspired by Misa’s son Hugo, who is on the autism spectrum. Teachers and parents have responded with glowing praise for the book, which helps teach kids about difference and inclusion.
LET’S EXPLORE WITH COR COR - CORY LEE Cory Lee of Curb Free with Cory Lee travel blog has just released his first children’s book, co-written with his mum. “We wanted to create a book about a kid in a wheelchair that travelled the world,” says Cory, “because when I was growing up we never saw another character in books or on TV who used a wheelchair like I did.” Cor Cor stops in at Iceland and even our very own Taronga Zoo Sydney.
DARE TO BE YOU JESSICA IRWIN, MARLENA KATENE This one is not a children’s book per se, but it sure does have some pretty pictures! The hardcover coffee table book features inspirational quotes from Marlena and stunning landscape photography by Jessica. Both women live with cerebral palsy and aim to inspire others to get out and see the world.
WHEN I GROW UP MARLENA KATENE “There are many things I want to be/ but at the moment I am just happy/ being ME.” This is a picture book with a powerful message about self-acceptance and showing kindness to others. The bright and colourful images were created by Tennille Banks.
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