I just had to comment on how awful some of the books were that we looked through during class. I am doing my final project on books about disabilities, specifically those about autism and I walked away feeling very discouraged about what I might come across when attempting to create my collection. I was just so appalled by some of the plot-lines (or lack there of)in some of the books. Shelley the Hyperactive Turtle? Really? Wheelchair driving school? Is this serious? Although I think it is of utmost importance that we as future teachers learn to discern quality literature from, well, the crap that's out there, I can't help but wonder who is actually letting these "bad books" get published in the first place. I mean, the unfortunate truth is that the books are in demand and therefore whatever gets written (regardless of quality) gets published...so it seems.
BUT it doesn't have to be this way. Rich, informative, quality pieces of literature with multidimensional characters and a fully developed plot can be created, but it is up to people like us, who take classes like this one, to contribute to the literature that's out there. If we aren't going to write the books, we can, at the very least, possess the critical eye to determine which books accurately portray particular subject matter.
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I feel the same way about the books we read. And what I don't understand is that disability can come in any shape and size and color so why doesn't every culture have a book about disabilities or something of that nature. These kids have hard enough time with just getting through life why should they have to read books that depict them as silly animals or even what if a nondisabled child reads these and then asks a disabled child about it. This is not a good way to start a disussion.
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