Taking a break from school reading lists gives students time to choose books they enjoy. It’s now easier to find books that include characters with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and cultures. These books can offer some readers the opportunity to see themselves in characters, while others can learn about lives that are different from their own. Books that are relevant to a student’s life can make reading more fun and engaging. These books are also great to read in group settings or as a family and can lead to meaningful conversations about different points of view.
We recognize the importance of identifying with characters in books and learning about each other. Our DHH Character Book Library continues to grow, offering a range of titles for families and school personnel to borrow; simply create a free account on our website and check out a book for eight weeks. It will be mailed directly to your home with a pre-paid return label included. The library currently includes 50 books covering diverse topics, interests, and reading levels.
Here are a few new titles we recently added to the library:
- I Deaf-initely Can: Rhett the Heeler by Karlie Waldrip: This is a picture book about a dog, Rhett, who is deaf. He is adopted by a woman who is also deaf and teaches him American Sign Language.
- Icky Sticky Stuck by Tanya Saunders: Full of rhyming verses and sounds, this is a farm adventure picture book about animals getting stuck in the mud.
- Jojo’s Tiny Ear by Stefanie Munzi-Logus: This is a picture book about how a little boy who has microtia and wears a bone-anchored hearing aid embraces differences.
- Harriet Versus the Galaxy by Samantha Baines: This is an imaginative chapter book featuring a young girl who is hard of hearing; her adventure begins when she finds an alien under her bed.
- deaf not Deaf by Christian Fusco: This is a chapter book about two sixth graders who learn about different perspectives on what it means to be Deaf; they become friends while navigating challenges of bullying at school.
- Deaf Ghosts at Eerie Elementary: True Biz! by Litterah C. Atwork: This is a chapter book about a fifth-grade student who is deaf; she receives support from ghosts while transitioning from attending a Deaf school to her neighborhood school.
Additional book suggestions are on our Literacy Resources page, which includes links to a few book lists with characters who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind. Your local library is another great resource for books in a variety of formats, including print, digital, and audio. Many libraries also offer summer programs that encourage children to set reading goals and provide rewards for meeting them.
Additional resources are available in our DHH Resource Library for adults who are interested in ASL resources and books about Deaf culture and identity. Filter your search on the library page to find these resources.
We hope you find a few minutes each day this summer to relax and read a book. They are ready and waiting for you to explore!
Source
Heineke, A, Papola-Ellis, A & Elliot, J. (2022). Using texts as mirrors: the power of readers seeing themselves. The Reading Teacher. 76(3) p. 277-284. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2139
From Amanda Schneider, Michigan Department of Education Resource for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Consultant