Ben, King of the River

Author/ Illustrator: David Gifaldi/ Layne Johnson
Publisher:Albert Whitman & Co 
Publication Date: March 2001
Genre: Realistic Fiction 5-8
Reading Level: 3rd - 4th grade
Brief Overview: Chad and his brother Ben are going campus. But Chad hopes Ben doesn’t ruin it because he has a developmental disability.
Integrated Activity: Students will answer questions about the story. Then the students would write their own story about the time they went camping.
Reviewer's Name & Affiliation: Kaleigh Harty, VSU 

Livvie Owen lived here

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Sarah Dooley

PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends PUBLICATION DATE: 2010

GENRE: Fiction READING LEVEL: age 10-14
BRIEF OVERVIEW: The family of a young girl with autism has to move repeated because of her outbursts. The young girl comes up with a plan when asked to move again.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Discuss what autism is and ways that students can assist people with special needs.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Tavia Hundley Valdosta State University

Rosa's Parrot

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Jan Wahl/ Kim Howard

PUBLISHER: Whispering Coyote Press PUBLICATION DATE: 1999

GENRE: Traditional READING LEVEL: Ages 6-7

BRIEF OVERVIEW: A mischievous parrot plays a trick on his hard-of-hearing owner. Gives example of how important speech and hearing are to people.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Teacher divides students into pairs. Each student is given a piece of paper with several sentences of a story on it, each of which has a 'Y' or 'N' in front of it. Initially, one person in each pair is given the role of speaker and the other listener. The speaker begins by looking at the first sentence. If it has a 'Y' in front, he/she reads the sentence to his/her partner, and if it has a 'N' in front, he/she says something different. The listener writes down what he/she hears. After going through all the sentences, the students switch roles, and repeat the activity. Afterwards, the students compare what they have written down with what their partner's sheet says, and write a short paragraph comparing their own experience with Rosa's. (language arts)

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Chris Poppell

Mandy Sue

AUTHOR: Roberta Karim  ILLUSTRATOR: Karen RitzPUBLISHER:  HMH Books              PUBLICATION DATE: 2003 

GENRE: Realistic Fiction                READING LEVEL: 9+ yrs 

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Each member of Mandy Sue’s family gets one day off of working.  Today is Mandy Sue’s day and she wants to ride her horse.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: At the end of the book we find out that Mandy Sue is blind.  Have students compare and contrast themselves to Mandy Sue.  What does she do differently?  The have students complete a task that they normally do with no problem blindfolded.  Then have them write an essay on how hard it would be to live with a disability. 
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Taylor Fallaw-Valdosta State University

My Pal, Victor

TITLE: My Pal, Victor

AUTHOR: Diane Bertrand Gonzales

ILLUSTRATOR: Robert Sweetland

PUBLISHER: Raven Tree Press, LLC

PUBLICATION DATE: June 6, 2010

GENRE: Fiction

READING LEVEL: Ages 9-12 years

BRIEF OVERVIEW:  Two boys Victor and Dominic play and enjoy typical activities. Their relationship becomes profound when the reader learns the Victor is disabled and lives his active life from a wheelchair.  

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY:  Teacher will prompt questions for students to discuss in small groups. 

REVIEWER'S NAME AND AFFILIATION: Shannon Davis - Valdosta State University

The Deaf Musicians

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR : Pete Seeger and Paul DuBois Jacobs
PUBLISHER: Puntam Juvenile            

PUBLICATION DATE:  2006

GENRE: Fiction Picture Book          

READING LEVEL:  4th-5th grade

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Lee use to be the greatest musician until he lost his hearing and eventually his band.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will write a letter to the author and tell him how this book can or was an inspiration to others.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Tameka Hughes. Valdosta State University

My Buddy

Illustrator: Ted RandAuthor: Audrey Osofsky

Publisher: Square Fish
Publication   Date:  1994
Genre: Realistic    Fiction
Reading Level: Six years old
Brief Overview: The book is about a boy who has muscular dystrophy. The young boy goes to camp and is paired with a golden retriever who will now help him get dressed  and help him perform other every day task.
Integrated Activity: Have the students as whole group discuss what muscular dystrophy is and how it can affect someone's life.
Reviwer's name and affiliation: Brittany Hutchins, VSU

Wonder

AUTHOR: R.J. Palacio        
AWARDS: Carnegie Medal in Literature Nominee (2013), The Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature Medalist (2013), NAIBA Book of the Year for Middle Readers (2012), Waterstone’s Children's Book Prize (2013)
PUBLICATION DATE: February 14, 2012
GENRE: Realistic Fiction READING LEVEL: 8-12 years old
BRIEF OVERVIEW: An intelligent, clever young boy, Auggy, is about to enter an actual school (5th grade) for the first time. He has two very rare facial deformities, making him a scientific “wonder”. He must adjust to life in school.
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Have 4 kids act out a scene where the children show August around the school for the first time. How each child overcame their fear of a peculiar student, who looks very different from themselves, in their own way.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Robert Emond, Valdosta State University

My Brother Is Autistic

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Jennifer Moore-Mallinos/ Marta Fabrega  
PUBLISHER: Barrons Juvenile      

PUBLICATION DATE: 9/1/2008 

GENRE: Informational

READING LEVEL: Kindergarten - 3rd grade
BRIEF OVERVIEW: Describes an autistic child from his brother's point of view and talks about ways autistic children can be helped and better relate to their family and surroundings 
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Students will research information on autism and present to the class what they learned on a poster board with pictures to be displayed around the room 
REVIEWER’S NAME AFFILIATION: Kandyce Mahone - Valdosta State University