When I find a book I really like for using with my speech and language special needs kids, I usually see what else that author has written.
My journey with author and illustrator Valerie Gorbachev, began when I grabbed Red Red Red from the library. It was a prefect book to use with a language delayed child as well as a child on the autism spectrum–the illustrations were colorful and simple, the story was engaging but not complicated, and there was a simple action on each page that invited wh-questions. Turtle is in a hurry to find something read and as a result, all the friendly forest animals start a line behind him guessing what could be his red prize–maybe racoon’s roses, goat’s red socks, fox’s red roof or a firefighter’s truck. This little parade of animals finally arrives at Turtle’s destination, a beautiful red sunset. The book lends itself to prediction questions, why? questions, brainstorming other red items and descriptions.
In Chicken Chickens Go To School, our little chicks are a bit timid about their first day at school. As they venture toward friendship by saying hello to classmates, they are stopped with a “Sssssssh” from Beaver, Rabbit and Frog who are busy making a tower, listening to a story and trying to sing respectively. These responses lend themselves to talking about emotions and brainstorming on what the chicken’s might do to gain a friend. Finally, during a trip to the meadow, the chicks are faced with crossing the stream alone. Guess which 3 animals offer assistance? Again, before reading the page, ask your child to predict how the animals might help the chicks get across. Talking about the beginning, middle and end and how the characters changed is a good activity for sequence and memory.
Chicken Chickens introduces the chicks to their first day at a playground. All the fun action drawings are great for description–mother hen rocking her babies, the pigs swirling on the merry-go-round, and the cats swinging high. Talk about cause-effect in regard to the chickens’ fear of each piece of equipment. They might get dizzy on the merry-go-round or fall off the swings. Finally, let’s solve the problem of their fear of the slide. How could the different animals help them down? What could they say to the chickens? How did Beaver solve the problem?
Other favorites are:
The Big Trip
That’s What Friends Are For
What authors of picture books do you like for using with kids with special needs? Let’s get a list going to help others.
I think speech therapy should always be fun but in the summer it should have an element of freedom, away from the classroom. I take kids outside and look for frogs, explore a creek, or create art work related to books.
Brooke and I have been reading Action Jackson, by Greenberg and Jordan, the story of the artist, Jackson Pollock. We used the story to teach inference, summarizing, abstract language, and description:
“Why do you think he likes musicians who improvise and invent their own melodies?”
What does, “He stops and a pool of paint pauses” mean?
Why does he need a break?
What does “Energy and motion made visible” mean?
What does, “Things get in the way of the flow, like roots blocking a soil line” mean?
Why is he called “Action Jackson?”
After reading the book, we decided to try to paint a picture like Pollock. It looked like it would be easy but we discovered a few things. After completing her masterpiece, Brooke used a graphic organizer to tell about her experience beginning with:
- why we did the painting
- the steps in the process
- the two methods she used (squeezing tubes of paint, and flinging with a spoon)
- what method was easier and more fun
- summary statement
We wanted to paint outside but it started to rain so we went in my garage to paint. First we laid out the newspapers and put the canvas on top. Our paints were in a tube.
We tried two methods of painting like Action Jackson. The first one was squirting the whole tube all over the canvas that made big, thick, long, curvy lines. You had to keep squeezing the tube and moving along so the line would go on forever, or else it would make globs.
Our second method was flinging the paint. We squeezed part of a tube into the red cup and used a fork or spoon to dip into the cup and fling the paint. It is easier to do up close because you get thin, curvy lines but if you stood up you would get a big glob.
The most fun part about doing this project was flinging the paint because it would get messy and it flew across the garage! The easier method was the squirting because the paint would go where you wanted it to go. With flinging the paint goes all over the picture.
When you read the book, Action Jackson, you think his method of painting is easy because he just drips paint, but when you actually do the project it is hard because the paint doesn’t go where you want it to go. I could see how difficult painting like Jackson Pollock was.
See what happens when you combine speech therapy and art?
This is part two of my blog about the advantages of having a typical peer join your speech therapy session. Yesterday I talked about the impact a typical peer can have on a child with autism in play. In my speech therapy sessions, I always try to include a time of reading books, as soon as a child will tolerate it and displays joint attention so they can follow the story.
I find that my kids that I work with who have autism, tend to show more interest, stay with the book longer and get more engaged with a typical peer in on the lesson. Last week we were reading, When Dinosaurs Came with Everything by Lise Broach. In the story, to the little boy’s delight, everywhere he goes on errands with his mom-to the bakery, the doctor, the barber–he gets a dinosaur as a reward. Mom is terrified and the boy is thrilled. The story gets more complicated as he brings his new pets home. At first they are unintentionally destructive, but then mom sees a more useful tact as she deploys them to “cut” the grass and clean the gutters. With lots of opportunity to predict, and infer, this story builds language concepts. My little client often becomes less attentive about half way through the story, but his typical peer kept answering my questions and helped keep him engaged. He seemed to catch her enthusiasm and want to take his turn in talking about the story.
When I was first given Peter Pan, I was amazed at the beautifully crafted cut out models of pirate ships, Peter Pan and his friends flying over the clock tower, and the crockodile opening his chops to chomp on Captian Hook. As I opened the pages, music, clock chimes, children’s laughter, Captain Hook’s hounting laugh, and the crock’s clock ticking accompanied the story. I wasn’t sure if that would be distracting to children listening to the story of Peter Pan.
Children showed me that the sound effects and musical accompaniament to the story actually drew them into the book. Their interest and attention span seemed to grow with each showing of the book. First we just opened each page, looked at the pop-ups and listened to the voices, music or sound effects. We talked about them a bit. My littlest friend, a 2 year-old, kept saying, “Can you do 
it again?” as I opened to a new page. Then we started to read part of the story as they lingered on a page. Finally, I was able to read the whole book as I filled in the story between the beautiful illustrations.
The strength of this book is the amazing three dimentional renderings of the scenes from Netherland, Captain Hook’s pirate ship and Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, and the kids flying out the nursery window over the city and the sounds bringing Netherland to life.
The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author. “Peter Pan” was provided for review by Silver Dolphin Books .
One of the challenges of working with children on the autism spectrum is to model, encourage and teach flexible play. Children with ASD tend to get “stuck” on a topic, toy or animal so they want to continuously play with that object or play out the same scenario. Since I work with several preschool boys, I want to introduce topics that typically developing boys are interested in so my little clients can be appropriate play partners.
What boys aren’t fascinated with dinosaurs? One little boy I work with is very interested in marine animals, particularly sharks and seals. In order to move him to new topics, I started out playing with him on the playground as we acted out marine animals of his choosing. Then I told him we were going to be dinosaurs. I got out my little books that briefly described different dinosaurs and asked him to pick which one he wanted to be. Then I had him select one for me. WE read a few facts about each on so we could act out their life. I was to be the stegosaurus with the bony plates up my back and the spike on my tail. He was a T Rex, the large meat eater who I would have to watch my distance with since I was a plant eater. Our other play partner was a Triceratops with his “frill” which got caught on the beam above the slide when he was at the top, ready to come down. I was wielding my spiky tail if anyone came near me.
These little books offered just enough information to fill in our pretend play scenario and add some relevant information for this little boy to play with his peers. The next day we read about some other dinosaurs and added a new one to our group.
To round out the dinosaur theme, we read, I Wish I Had a Dinosaur by Anggabratra and When Dinosaurs Came with Everything by Lise Broach.
I’m a fan of “Snappy Books” because I like the big bold drawings, pop-ups and rhymes. In their newest addition, Snappy Builder Noah’s Ark, your little one, 3 years old and up, can hear the story and then make her own ark, complete with animals. The story moves from Noah drawing his plans for the ark, through Mrs.Noah checking in the animals, two by two, the rain falling for forty days and forty nights, Noah sending out the dove in search of land, to the promise of the rainbow.
I read the story with my 3 year-old friend who then proceeded to punch out the thick cardboard pieces. We gathered the animals first who had clever printed fronts and backs, and then began assembling the ark. With clearly illustrated instructions, kids can be the leader, as they put the boat together piece by piece. Lots of slots are provided on the ark floor to insert animals around the cabin and change the scene.
Proud of his finished project, my little friend started to sail the ark and brought in a favorite pirate ship to add to the action. 3-D interaction reinforces the story and gives kids a launching point for adding to the story. Noah can go in the cabin to sleep, other animals from play might join him or boats sharing the sea can come along side the ark. Pretend play has begun.
The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author. “Snappy Builder Noah’s Ark” was provided for review by Silver Dolphin Books.
Cuddle up with a good picture book, add a plush character from the story and you have literacy plus play! I introduced Opal from Toot and Puddle: The One and Only, by Holly Hobbie to little Caroline. She immediately tucked sparkly Opal, in her double pleated voile tutu, under her arm in anticipation of the story.
Bubbles seems to think everything Opal does is peachy. Her admiration comes in the form of mimicry as she copies Opal’s every move. If imitation is the highest form of flattery then why protest, but Opal’s friend, Daphne can’t stand it! Finally there is something that Bubbles can’t copy–the dance steps for their “May Extravaganza.” Opal must save the day and teach Bubbles the steps. In the end, everyone knows that Opal is the only “one and only!”
Leading the reader through the holidays, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Valentine’s day, the author delights children with her drawings of piggies dressed up in costumes and Opal and Bubbles drawing a “Cupig” for Valentines Day. Two year-old Caroline loved the humor in a silly word that is close, but off target. But her favorite scene was where Opal taught Bubbles the dance steps to “Hop, step and kick.” chiming in with the dance directions, Caroline activated her Opal doll to the chant of, “Hop, step, kick!”
Kids love a stuffed toy and better yet when it is a character in the story who they can relate to. Children act out parts of the story with their figure and then extend the story by inviting their Opal to a tea party with other friends or taking a nap with favorite stuffed animals. Using the toy to carry on conversations builds language skills and encourages turn taking while talking. When Opal steps out of the book, she becomes real. Wouldn’t any little girl want her name embroidered in pink on her ballet tutu?
The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author. “The One and Only” and Opal were provided for review by Yottoy.
I always look at the display of brand new books at our public library when I go. Today I was attracted to Baby Blessings, A Prayer for the Day You Were Born, by Deloris Jordan. It is a precious story of the blessing we receive in a newborn baby, with a parent’s desire praying that he will be kind, touch the world in a special way, believe in himself, look for the good and trust in God and his promises of blessings. I originally picked up the book because my friend had asked me to suggest some picture books that featured African American kids for her child to enjoy. Ever since I have been on the lookout for wonderful stories that picture kids of diversity.
Taken with the story, I was showing it to my husband when he asked who the author was. I opened the book jacket and realized that Deloris Jordan is the mother of Michael Jordan, an advocate for children and families, and author of several books. Illustrator James Ransome’s oil paintings depict a parents’ glow at each step of their child’s life–first smiles, learning to walk, riding a bike, discovering a book, gazing at the sky, being thankful, and venturing off to school. I am not always a fan of celebrity authors but this book is a gem. Take a look and be thankful for your blessings.
Yesterday, I met a mom and a little boy whom I will be working with. He is relatively newly diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Mom had a lot of questions. We started talking about reading and she said he loved books but wanted the same one read to him each night. It happened to be a rhyming, repetetive book.
One of the advantages of being a speech therapist in private practice is that I meet with children in their homes so I get to know the family and can “teach” the parents too. I look forward to helping this mom learn what books are beneficial in building her child’s language and “how” to read to him to the best advantage.
First of all, choose books that have a simple story that your child can relate to within his experience (going sledding in the first snowfall, having a Halloween party and making popcorn, going camping, eating, sleeping, playing etc.). Make sure the drawings are simple enough not to distract from the story. I have provided a list of good books I have used here. Set aside some of the fun and wacky Dr. Seuss type of books where kids tend to memorize them and repeat phrases from the book. Instead, offer some books with interesting stories, something to laugh at and keep their interest. Try using dialogic reading which is talking ABOUT the page’s illustrations, not reading the text exactly each time. Since the goal for many kids on the autism spectrum is to generate flexible language, we want to model that for them. Tell the story in a little different way each time, using various describing words and finding a new detail to talk about.
I love to read books that connect language with art. A Day With No Crayons is a clever story about a little girl who-you guessed it–lost the use of her crayons for the day. This would be a great book for an art teacher to use to introduce colors. Little Liza loved apricot, fuchsia, tickle-me-pink, and screamin’ green. When she ran out of paper, she decided to continue her drawing on the one blank canvas left, the wall. Just like so many kids who lose themselves in the creative moment, little Liza didn’t realize what she was doing. When Mom snatched up her crayons and put them away for the day, Liza couldn’t imagine a day without them. She managed to create her own palate of colors by squeezing the blue toothpaste, dragging muddy feet on a basketball court, and brushing her grass-stained knees. Suddenly she saw color everywhere. By nighttime, when the crayons were to be returned, Liza had so filled her world with color and pattern that she considered going one more day without crayons.
Use the story for prediction. What will happen when Mom sees the wall? Where will Liza find color without crayons? Take a picture walk before reading the story and describe how she got color on the basketball court or made the camels. Make up fun descriptive words to precede the colors just as Liza did with “laser lemon.” Brainstorm, “Where would you go to find color during your day?” Finally, make collage pictures of a face, dog or other object showing that art can happen without crayons.
