Harry and Willy and Carrothead
Wednesday, April 15th, 2009How important is it for kids with disabilities to see themselves in fiction? Probably more important than we realize, but most children’s books featuring characters with a disability are written for abled kids to help them understand kids who are different. As a result, the books are more agenda-driven than one would like. However much I agree with the agenda, it still leaves something to be desired to write a story in such a way.
In any case, I was appreciative to see my experiences in picture book form in Harry and Willy and Carrothead, which is about a little boy who was born with one arm. He wears a prosthesis, plays sports, and lives a normal life. Who would have thought? 
I especially liked these illustrations of little Harry growing up—running around as a toddler, finger painting as a kid.
And the happy ending encapsulated by the picture of the three friends. Notice Harry’s prosthesis?
This book is a great opportunity to talk to kids about limb deficiency in a way that relates to issues that they may have faced like being teased or bullied. I’d love to say it’s a great book, but I’ll stick with “great opportunity.” Really, I’d love to see a picture book where limb deficiency is like the multi-racial family in The Hello, Goodbye Window. Present, but not the point. Children’s book publishers? Listening?? More about the book in my review on Propernoun.net
