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: [email protected]
SEE OUR SPRING 2025 BOOK STUDIES!
(click on an area below to view)
Children Ages 8 - 12 ; Thursdays at 5:30 pm, beginning July 10, 2025
Title: Mustaches for Maddie, by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown
Group: Kids 8-12 years old
Day/Time: Thursdays, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Dates: July 10 – August 28 (8 weeks)
Join us Thursdays at 5:30 pm beginning July 10 for our new middle grade pick for Disability Acceptance through Literature! 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 audio-book recordings, adapted chapter summaries and PODD pages will be provided to help participants access the reading and the conversations each week.)
“Twelve-year-old Maddie has a quirky sense of humor and loves making her classmates laugh by slapping on fake mustaches every chance she gets. Being funny gets her noticed by class queen Cassie, and things are looking up when Maddie is cast as Juliet in the school play. Maybe Juliet could wear a mustache?
She’s been self-conscious lately because her right arm only feels normal when it’s curled against her chest and she’s constantly tripping over her feet. But that’s probably just part of growing up and not something weird, right?”
Click here to register. (Registration opens May 9 at 12 pm)
Questions? Contact Celia at [email protected]
Teens Ages 12 - 17 ; Wednesdays at 6:00 pm, beginning July 9
Title: Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
Group: ‘Teens’ 12-17 years old
Day/Time: Wednesdays 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Dates: July 9 – August 27 (8 weeks)
Join us Wednesdays at 6:00 pm for our Summer pick for the ‘Teen’ DATL book study crew! Starting July 9, the group and our facilitators meet weekly via Zoom.
Registering will save you a seat! Include your mailing address so we can send you the book. Before our first meeting, you will receive an email with info about the access tools available to participants, like adapted chapter summaries and PODD pages, as well as the Zoom link we’ll use to join in every week. Audio recordings of each chapter will be available to all participants.
Gathering Blue is a companion book in the same universe as The Giver that functions as a standalone story about community, memory, and perseverance.
“We’re the ones who fill in the blank spaces. Maybe we can make it different.”
― Lois Lowry, Gathering Blue
Register Here (Registration opens May 9 at 12 pm)
Questions? Contact Celia at [email protected]
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