Book Studies
Disability Acceptance Through Literature
The Arc of PA’s Include Me program is excited to present “Disability Acceptance through Literature,” a virtual book study for students. Books selected by our facilitators provide opportunities to learn about the many aspects of disability through the perspective of school age protagonists.
Discussions center on understanding, acceptance, presuming competence, and friendship. Values like compassion, honesty, authenticity and diversity steer the ship, and we love when conversations are led by students’ interests. These book studies are an innovative way to provide students interested in reading with a structured opportunity to connect with other students across Pennsylvania. We strive to make the book studies accessible, with:
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- audio recordings of each chapter,
- vocabulary resources,
- engaging visual content for discussions, and,
- by providing copies of the book to families as the book studies gear up.
These four or eight week book studies make room for silliness and curiosity, and we’re proud of the stigma-blasting power of the program (and that of the students themselves!).
Include Me connects each book study and accompanying lessons to the Pennsylvania Academic Standards.
For more information, contact: cmorrison@includemepa.org
SEE OUR SPRING 2025 BOOK STUDIES!
(click on an area below to view)
Children Ages 5-8 ; Wednesdays at 5:00 pm, beginning January 14
Theme: Hand in Hand
Group: Kids 5-8 years old
Day/Time: Wednesdays, 5:00 pm – 5:45 pm
Dates: January 14 – 28, 2026
Join us Wednesdays at 5:00PM starting January 14 for this Winter’s “Story Tour”, our Disability Acceptance through Literature program for 5- to 8-year-olds! The group will meet weekly for 45 minutes via Zoom. We’ll read a different children’s book aloud each week and talk a bit about the story together. All learners are welcome!
Registering will save you a seat. Register with your mailing address and we will send a copy of each book for your household. Before our first meeting, you will receive an email with the zoom link we’ll use to join in every week. *Spots are limited! Registering means you’re committing to join us for the full virtual story tour. If your availability changes, please let us know ASAP before the program begins.
Lineup for our Winter 2025 Story Tour includes:
– A Little Like Magic, by Sarah Kurpiel
– Monster Hands, by Karen Kane, Jonaz McMillan, illustrated by Dion MBD
– Flap Your Hands, by Steve Asbell
Click here to register. (Registration opens November 14 at 12 pm)
Questions? Contact Celia at cmorrison@includemepa.org
Children Ages 8 - 12 ; Thursdays at 5:30 pm, beginning Jan 15
Title: Fish in a Tree, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Group: Kids 8-12 years old
Day/Time: Thursdays, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Dates: January 15 – March 5 (8 weeks)
Join us Thursdays at 5:30PM beginning January 15 for our middle grade pick for Disability Acceptance through Literature this Fall! The group (8- to 12-year-olds and our Include Me facilitators) will meet weekly via Zoom. All learners are welcome!
Registering will save your child a seat. Include your mailing address so we can send you the book! Before our first meeting, you will receive an email detailing the resources we share as access tools and the Zoom link we’ll use to join in every week. (Access tools like audiobook recordings, adapted chapter summaries and PODD pages will be provided to help participants access the reading and the conversations each week.)
Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the troublemaker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.
Click here to register. (Registration opens Nov 14 at 12 pm)
Questions? Contact Celia at cmorrison@includemepa.org
FAQ
Questions? Contact Celia at cmorrison@includemepa.org
Click here to view/download a pdf copy of the FAQ
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