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 5 - 8; Wednesdays at 5:00 pm, beginning April 2nd, 2025
Theme: “Outside the Box”, A Disability acceptance story series
Group: Kids 5 – 8 years old
Day/Time: Wednesdays, 5:00 pm – 5:45 pm
Dates: April 2 – 16 (3 weeks)
Join us Wednesdays at 5:00PM starting April 2nd for a springtime “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.
Lineup for our Spring 2025 Story Tour includes:
– A Boy and a Jaguar, by Alan Rabinowitz, illustrated by Cátia Chien
– Rescue and Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky & Patrick Downes
– Will the One-Winged Eagle, by Jimmy Curran, illustrated by Kris Napper
Register Here (Registration opens Feb 3 at 12PM)
Questions? Contact Celia at [email protected]
Children Ages 8 - 12 ; Thursdays at 5:30pm, beginning April 3rd, 2025
Title: Stuck, by Jennifer Swender
Group: Kids 8-12 years old
Day/Time: Thursdays, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Dates: April 3 – May 8 (6 weeks)
Join us Thursdays at 5:30PM beginning April 3 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. Audiobook recordings will be available.
A coming-of-age story about a boy who is used to flying under the radar, and the classroom of kids determined to help him stand out.
Click here to register. (Registration opens Feb 3 at 12PM)
Questions? Contact Celia at [email protected]
Teens Ages 12 - 17 ; Mondays at 6:00 pm, beginning March 31st, 2025
Title: Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters, by Rick Riordan
Group: ‘Teens’ 12-17 years old
Day/Time: Mondays 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Dates: March 31 – May 19 (8 weeks)
Join us Mondays at 6:00 pm for our newest pick for the ‘Teen’ DATL book study crew! Starting March 31, 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.
In the sequel to the groundbreaking debut of Percy Jackson, young Percy and friends face a new foe, track down the Golden Fleece and learn a bit more about themselves in the process.
*Facilitators’ note: This is book #2 in the Percy Jackson series, but it can stand alone if you have not read book #1! Like the rest of the series, “The Sea of Monsters” has exciting connections to Greek mythology, and it offers a depiction of intellectual disability that we think will spark some critical thinking in our group.
Register Here (Registration opens Feb 3 at 12PM.)
Questions? Contact Celia at [email protected]
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