Interrogating Depictions of Disability in Children's Picturebooks

Abstract

Abstract Diverse classroom libraries offer opportunities for students to not only see themselves represented in books but also encounter lived experiences and perspectives that are different from their own. As classrooms increasingly include learners with cognitively and physically diverse abilities, teachers are faced with the challenge of selecting literature with humanizing depictions of individuals with disability labels. Historically, portrayals of disabilities in children's literature have included themes of pity and exclusion. In this article, the authors introduce a framework that educators can employ when selecting inclusive literature for their classroom libraries. Using this framework, the authors analyzed three sample picture books that teachers might also share with students to help them read with and against these texts. As a whole, this article offers a starting point for teachers beginning the process of creating inclusive spaces that foster the multitude of ways that students come to be, know, and learn.

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