Books to Teach About Learning Difficulties

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Thank you Smith Publicity, Inc for providing me with a review copy of There’s a Monkey in My Backpack for this “Books to Teach About Learning Difficulties” article. All opinions are my own.

Every child is different in many ways. Very importantly, every child learns differently. Introducing this concept to our kids early is so important!

Not only should kids learn about learning difficulties for themselves, but also to understand others better. Not everyone will find the same things easy!

A child who understands this will have an easier time accepting others and their struggles. They will also be better at offering (and accepting) help because they understand that EVERYONE needs help sometimes-even at something they are good at.

There’s a Monkey in My Backpack-A Book about Dyslexia

I recently read There’s a Monkey in My Backpack by Don M. Winn to my kids. What a cute book! The book illustrates what a day is like for a student who has learning difficulties-specifically, dyslexia.

The character in the book has a monkey in her backpack. This monkey has a tendency to make school life much more difficult for her by playing tricks on her. When she tries to read or write, the monkey switches the letters around. The monkey distracts her when she’s trying to listen to the teacher!

The character feels like she can’t learn like her peers and worries about passing the third grade.

The first part of the book shows the student’s struggles and how she feels about it. I think that this is important for kids to see. It shows that something that seems really easy for you, could be made more difficult for one reason or another for someone else.

The Illustrations

One of the things that really hit me with this book was the illustrations.

The illustrations really show what it is that the character is feeling. In the picture above, the character is trying to keep up with her friends. They are following an arrow that says “This way to finish third grade.” The monkey is holding her leg and keeping her from going.

I’ll be honest a mom and as a teacher, I got all teary-eyed looking at that illustration. I have seen enough students who I think see themselves this way. She can see the goal, she can see the path to get there, she wants to go, but feels held back.

Positive Message

By the end of the book, the reader starts to see that although the student’s “monkey” can make things difficult for her, it can also help her. The character sees that sometimes she can see things differently than her friends. She has a creative way of thinking and can solve problems.

This is an important part of the book, not just for kids who have a learning difficulty, but also for kids who don’t! Seeing that differences can bring strengths is such an important idea!

Other Books to Teach About Learning Difficulties

Thank You, Mr. Falker

Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco is a go-to book to encourage students with dyslexia (or any difficulty learning). I cry every time I read it!

What makes this story most beautiful is that Patricia Polacco was writing about her own experience. She was called dumb and thought she would never be able to read or write. She had a teacher that recognized that she learned differently. He worked with her and encouraged her.

Now Patricia is a well-known writer! Something she never imagined possible. She writes a note at the end thanking her teacher who helped and inspired her so much at the end. This is where the reader realizes it was HER!

I’m crying right now just writing about it!

My Mouth is a Volcano

My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook is a great book to read with children who struggle with their ADHD. A common struggle for kids with ADHD is shouting out and interrupting.

This book is about a kid who has this exact issue. Louis can’t keep his mouth closed and interrupts everyone! After experiencing being interrupted and how it doesn’t feel good, he begins to learn how to control his urges to shout out and how to wait his turn.

All My Stripes

All My Stripes by Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer is a book about a zebra. Zane the Zebra has Autism. He is worried his friends will make fun of his differences, like his stripes.

Zane starts to learn that our differences are what make us beautiful! He starts to be proud of his amazing stripes!

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