An Annotated Selection of Books for You
Click any book cover; you'll be directed to the author's blog, web page, a podcast or an interview. Remember, you can search WorldCat to find books in a library near you. Here's a short WorldCat tutorial.
The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan by Ben Foss
Click the cover and you'll be directed to the Headstrong Nation website. Ben Foss, author of this book, is founder of this not-for-profit organization which serves the dyslexic community. He is also dyslexic. A sentence from the book flap: by keeping the focus on learning, not on standard reading the same way everyone else does, a child with dyslexia can and will develop the self-confidence to flourish in the classroom and beyond. He is all about embracing, accepting and thriving with dyslexia; there is no cure but there are definite ways to thrive.
A few chapter headings: Embrace Your Child's Profile. Your Child is Not Broken. Identify Your Child's Strengths. A Tool Kit of Accommodations. Assert Your Rights. Allow Your Child To Dream Big. There are also useful Appendices.
Creative Successful Dyslexic: 23 High Achievers Share their Stories by Margaret Rooke
Click the cover and you'll be directed to the author's podcast related to this book.
Here is the book's description taken form the flap: Well-known people with dyslexia from he arts, sport, and business worlds share their stories and their advice in this empowering collection. They describe the difficulties they faced in childhood and the strength required to overcome them, and reveal how dyslexia enabled them to see things differently, develop resourcefulness and use their unique creativity in exceptional ways.
Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz, M.D.
Click the cover and you'll be directed to a Q & A between Congressman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Dr. Sally Shaywitz, author of Overcoming Dyslexia. When introducing Dr. Shaywitz, Westerman said, “If you want to know about the Theory of Relativity, you schedule a meeting like this with Einstein; If you want to know about dyslexia, you get Sally Shaywitz to come and visit with you.”
Their conversation revolves around this book, her passion for children with dyslexia and ways to help them thrive through evidence-based programs. Shaywitz is co-director of the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.
When Your Child Has. . . Dyslexia and The Everything Parent's Guide to Children with Dyslexia by Abigail Marshall
Click the covers to visit Marshall's blog: Dyslexia the Gift: News & Views from Davis Dyslexia. Abigail Marshall is the Webmaster & Internet Information Services Director for Davis Dyslexia Association International. When your child has. . . Dyslexia and the Everything Parents Guide include information about testing for dyslexia, school choices, treatment methods, the IEP process, and more.
The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald D. Davis
Click the cover and you'll be directed to the Dyslexia the Gift website.
On the site, The Davis method is described as "a strength-based approach that harnesses the mental talents that dyslexic people share to overcome the learning problems. . .
When dyslexic students recognize their mental talents, they develop a renewed sense of self-esteem and confidence. When they start to employ study methods which capitalize on their talents, progress is very rapid."
This book describes the Davis Method in detail.
And options for your child. . .
Though there are a few books described below that are about children with dyslexia, it's important to remember that the best books for children with dyslexia are the same books other children are reading. Your child will just need to read them differently, with helps and accomodation. Three ways to read are highlighted below.
Audio Books
Read Alouds
Kids InfoBits
I can't emphasize the importance of audio books enough. Listening to books is reading. Our daughter spent hours listening to books on tape and on CD. She drew, painted, built with legos and dreamed as she listened.
Important listening skills were strengthened and just as importantly, all that listening promoted an enduring love of story. Additionally, she had read the books her friends had read. In truth, she had read more.
A result of listening is that she knew what was in books--both fiction and non-fiction. This knowledge motivated her to do the hard work of learning to read them herself.
Today audio books are widely available on CD and in digital formats to purchase but they are free from your local library. The children's librarians may not be experts in dyslexia but they can help your child find stories to enjoy and are an important resource to remember.
Reading books out loud to your child--and later with your child-- provides all the benefits of audio books in terms of developing listening skills, promoting a love of story, and motivating your child to learn to read for him or herself.
But its benefits go far beyond those things. Reading out loud together builds relationships. Sharing books opens doors to conversation and a common love of characters and subjects.
As your child learns to decode the language, you can trade off reading words, sentences, paragraphs, and then chapters to each other as skill grows.
Even after our children became proficient readers, we continued to read out loud. We stopped when my daughter was in high school, finally giving in to the busyness of life.
Again, Librarians at school or at the public library are knowledgeable resources to help you find books to enjoy together.
This section is not only about Kids InfoBits though it is a friendlier headline than "Educational Subscription Databases"
and is easier on the eyes.
Educational databases with text readers and other features are available to you for free through your public library, state library, or school system.
Watch my Subscription Database Tutorial for an introduction to this fabulous--and often unknown--resource.
I’ve also provided a two-part tutorial about one, Kids InfoBits:
Kids InfoBits Part 1 gives an overview and introduces basic and advanced search.
Kids InfoBits Part 2 demonstrates a browsing search and looks at the results page and text reader.
Visit the public library to ask about subscription databases with features designed to help a dyslexic or struggling reader.
And a few books with dyslexic characters . . .
Because sometimes it's nice to read about characters with challenges similar to your own
The Alphabet War
by Diane Burton Robb
This picture book story for k-3 is about a boy named Adam who struggles with letters and sounds to the point that each day going to school feels like entering an "alphabet war." The story tells how he ultimately won that war through hard work, perseverance, and the help and encouragement of those around him.
The Back to Front World of Azzie Artbuckle
by Beth Montgomery
Click the cover to read an article about the inspiration behind this book. The author is dyslexic. She says, "Azzie . . . is bright, creative, funny, and will do anything to help others, but she has a secret, people at school think she is stupid. Although she tries really hard, words never make sense to her. I suppose you could say Azzie was me.” In picture book format.
Thank You Mr. Falker
by Patricia Polacco
This is Patricia Pilacco's personal story with dyslexia. She could paint and draw beautifully but when she tried to decipher words, all she could see was a jumble. Mr. Falker became a very special teacher and it was his encouragement that helped her overcome. A nice read-aloud picture book with both illustrations and story by Polacco.
Here's Hank and Hank Zipzer Series
by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
Click the covers and you'll be taken to Penguin's Hank website where you can learn all about the books and their authors. Here's Hank series books are meant for 6-8 year olds; hank is a second grader in them. The Hank Zipzer books are written for 8-12 year-olds.
Fish in a Tree
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Click the cover and you'll be taken to the author's website. One cool thing about the website is that she has a special button to set the font. One choice is "open dyslexic." Check it out. The book's title comes from words often attributed to Einstein, who was dyslexic. "Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid.” The story follows the struggles and triumphs of a sixth-grade girl named Ally, who is dyslexic.
The Lightning Thief
by Rick Riordan
Click the cover to listen to an Iowa Public Radio interview with Riordan entitled Olympians, gods, and dyslexia: Rick Riordan talks about fiction and family. This book is the first in a popular series for young adults. It follows the adventures of demi-god teens as they navigate the world of the Greek gods, monsters and the challenges of middle school. Its main character, Percy Jackson, is dyslexic.
