742 words
6 minute read
26.
Genre: Animals > Horses
Disability Representation: Yes (Cerebral Palsy)
Rating: 1/4 Wheels (It was okay)
Excerpt of GoodReads Summary: Emily has cerebral palsy, but she and her specially trained horse get around just fine. The Saddle Club girls make friends with Emily and even take her on her first trail ride.
What I Thought: This book was written by an author who clearly didn't have an understanding of CP. There were all kinds of inaccuracies and the focus was very much on the other kids, viewing CP and Emily through a nondisabled lens. I enjoyed Emily as a character, but it was a bit disheartening to learn this was written in 1996 and the representation was still pretty rude. (On the plus side, it has spawned an idea for a blog post series...)
27.
Genre: Children's > Middle Grade
Disability Representation: No, though (spoiler) Stacey does have diabetes.
Rating: 2/4 Wheels (Liked it!)
Excerpt of GoodReads Summary: Kristy thinks the Baby-sitters Club is a great idea. She and her friends Claudia, Stacey, and Mary Anne all love taking care of kids. A club will give them the chance to have lots of fun - and make tons of money.
But nobody counted on crank calls, uncontrollable two-year-olds, wild pets, and parents who don't always tell the truth. And then there's Stacey, who's acting more and more mysterious. Having a baby-sitters club isn't easy, but Kristy and her friends aren't giving up until they get it right!
What I Thought: It's been years since I've read The Babysitter's Club. I still really liked the book for the most part. I particularly loved Mimi and her sweet offer to help when Kristy and her friends were fighting and Kristy's mom and Watson were also pretty dang plugged in parents, which was nice to see.
28.
Genre: Dystopia
Disability Representation: No, but it's impossible for me NOT to read this with an eye toward neurodivergence.
Rating: 4/4 Wheels (LOVE it!)
Excerpt of GoodReads Summary: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
What I Thought: I love this! I read it years ago, probably when it first came out, but I had not read it since. (Certainly not since realizing I am neurodivergent myself. With this new knowledge, I found myself relating to Tris so very much. Forced to fit where she does not naturally fit. Forced to do and be things that do not come naturally to her. I just really appreciated this book a lot and I can't wait to watch the movie again.
29.
Genre: Dystopia
Disability Representation: Injury (and eventual disability right at the end.) There's also pretty habitual use of the C-word in reference to one tribute. For the first time, I found myself curious about his story.
Rating: 4/4 Wheels (LOVE it!)
Excerpt of GoodReads Summary: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and once girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
What I Thought: This book remains one of my favorites. The complexity of the universe. The government's absolute power, trauma on the citizens and the inclusion and exploitation of the children and the suffering of citizens by the mediais fascinating (in a terrifying way. )
30.
Genre: Childrens > Picture Books
Disability Representation: No.
Rating: 4/4 Wheels (Loved it)
Excerpt of GoodReads Summary: High on energy and imagination, this ode to self-esteem encourages kids to appreciate everything about themselves--inside and out. Messy hair? Beaver breath? So what! Here's a little girl who knows what really matters.
What I Thought: This was a really sweet, affirmative story. I watched Treshelle Edmond read it for ASL Storytime.
***
I'm curious as to why you don't consider diabetes a disability. Because, I have type 1 disabetes like Stacy and...it is one. Like that's not just my opinion, it's a disability by every legal, medical, and social definition there is.
ReplyDeleteI didn't develop diabetes until I was an adult, but I know for a lot of millenials who grew up diabetic, Stacey meant a lot. Heck I was moved to tears a few months ago watching the episode of the Netflix reboot that focused on her diabetes.
Anyway I love your blog (I've been following it for a long time; sorry my first comment isn't more positive lol) and it's fun getting to hear about everything you read!
Hi Alyssa,
DeleteI'm sorry I didn't make this clearer, I do absolutely consider Stacey's diabetes to be a disability. But in this book in particular, we (the audience) are not aware of her having it until the very end + the book is from Kristy's POV so all we see is her conjecture about it.
So as far as representation...I guess I didn't feel like her diabetes was "represented" in this book if that makes sense.
Stacey still obviously has it, but not as solid an example of good representation even as other books in the BSC series.
In other BSC books I've read this year, her diabetes is definitely listed under disability representation.
Glad you're here.
Oh, ok! That makes more sense. I think I do still consider this book representation. Stacey hiding her diabetes is a plotline throughout the book, and I find that relatable; sometimes when I'm in a new situation and don't know how people are going to react to me having diabetes, I try to hide it.
DeleteI agree, though, that other books in the series handle it better(...along with some that handle it worse lol)
That does make sense!
DeleteAnd yes, I've read several (most?) of the BSC books and recently bought like 8 of them including Stacey's Emergency - which was our first exposure to the BSC series. I'm curious to reread that one - still have not yet!