BOOK MARKED
Developmental Disabilities
Awareness 13 Tales to Inspire and Educate
BY LUZ FLORES, LIBRARIAN AT NOYES LIBRARY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN,
MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES
For Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month,
dive into the stories of kids, teens and adults who
experience the world a bit differently. These tales
touch on the real-life struggles of living with a
disability and the joys that come from friendships,
growth and understanding.

PICTURE BOOKS
“Benji, the Bad Day, and Me”
by Sally J. Pla, illustrated by Ken Min
The whole world is against Sammy. He is hav-
ing bad, bad day, and when he comes home, he
realizes his little brother, Benji, is having a bad
day, too, and has retreated to his box. Having an
autistic little brother can be hard, but this story
shows that brotherly love can shine through even
on the bad days.

“Can Bears Ski?”
by Raymond Antrobus,
illustrated by Polly Dunbar
“Can bears ski?” is a question that Little Bear
keeps hearing from Dad Bear, the TV and his
teachers and friends at school. This colorful pic-
ture book follows Little Bear as he navigates
the world with childhood hearing loss, vis-
its an audiologist and, with the help of hearing
aids, finally learns the answer to the question,
“Can bears ski?”
“It Was Supposed to Be Sunny”
by Samantha Cotterill
Changes in routine can be hard for any kid, but
especially for kids on the autism spectrum. When
30 Washington FAMILY MARCH 2023
Laila starts to feel okay about moving her birth-
day unicorn obstacle course indoors to avoid a
thunderstorm, disaster strikes and she starts to
feel anxiety on top of anxiety. But after time with
her service dog and a little birthday magic, Laila
realizes that unexpected surprises aren’t always
a bad thing.

“The Mitten String”
by Jennifer Rosner,
illustrated by Kristina Swarner
This Jewish folktale follows Ruthie Tober, a girl
whose family raises sheep and makes wool for
their local market. One day, Ruthie meets a deaf
woman and her baby by a broken wagon, and
when the woman, Bayla, accepts an invitation to
stay at Ruthie's family home for the night, Ruthie
watches in amazement as Bayla uses her hand to
sign to her baby.

EARLY ELEMENTARY
“Isaac and His Amazing Asperger
Superpowers!” by Melanie Walsh
Isaac isn’t like his brother or his classmates at
school. He has super sensitive hearing and can
sometimes hear the lights at school. He has so