Children's books are instrumental in shaping early thoughts and perceptions. Chitra Paul, mom to a teenager on the autism spectrum painstakingly lists 20 Indian books that feature children and young adults with disability. Books that must be read by every child.
As a child I don’t remember reading very many books with Indian characters or even those that featured disabled characters. The few books with Indian characters or stories about India were those by Ruskin Bond or Amar Chitra Katha comic books. However, this was more than a quarter of a century back and things have surely changed since then. There are many more Indian books; specifically, children’s books that are about characters from India, set in India and having sensitivities aligned to the Indian culture. In my search for such books for my own son, I have come across many that match these criteria.
As my son is on the autism spectrum, a class of books that I constantly look out for are those that feature characters with disabilities. There are two reasons for this. The primary reason is to help my own son understand that having a disability, though life altering, needn’t make him feel any lesser; different maybe but not lesser! A greater reason though is the understanding that I have gained; that exposing ALL children to diversity of all sorts, including those in terms of abilities and strengths in people with disabilities can help them grow up to be more accepting of disabilities or differences in abilities. This is the foundation that can result in inclusion in society – a society that accepts diversity.
Though one can come across many children’s books that feature disabled characters by international authors, my aim here is to list specifically Indian children’s books that portray such characters and how they address the disability.
Abba's Day
Author - Sunaina Ali
Illustrator - Debasmita Dasgupta
Publishers – Katha
Age – 2-8 years
https://books.katha.org/product/abbas-day/
The fact that Ayesha, the central character in the story uses crutches is divulged to the reader only at the end. The disability aspect is not given undue focus but is treated as part of the story.
Against All Odds
Author - Ramendra Kumar
Publishers - Duckbill Books and Publications Pvt Ltd
Age – 8-12 years
http://www.duckbill.in/book-page?b_id=127
Karthik the main character in the book is depicted as having a physical disability, he has only one arm. The story is one of resilience and overcoming the challenges he faces because of his disability which also include attitudinal ones that lead to him being treated as an outcaste. The story is set in a school in Kolkata and is one about childhood favourites, football and friendship.
A Helping Hand
Author - Payal Dhar
Illustrator - Vartika Sharma
Publishers – Pratham Books
Languages – English, Hindi
Age – Independent reading level
https://store.prathambooks.org/control/productDetails?productId=9789350226858
https://storyweaver.org.in/stories/5144-a-helping-hand
The central character of the new girl has a prosthetic hand which makes her an object of both curiosity as well as cruelty of other children. However, the author also seeks to depict how easily children accept those who are different from them. Through the medium of letters, the author attempts to weave a story about friendship and fitting in.
A Walk With Thambi
Author - Lavanya Karthik
Illustrator - Proiti Roy
Publishers – Tulika Publishers
Languages – English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Gujrati, Bengali
Age – 4 +
http://www.tulikabooks.com/general-picture-books/a-walk-with-thambi-english.html
Many aspects of the lives of visually impaired people are revealed to children through the character of the boy. These include details about accessibility issues, how they use walking sticks to find their way around and also about the use of dogs as guides. It also helps children to understand how blind people utilise their other senses much better.
Big Bully And M-Me
Author - Arti Sonthalia
Illustrator - Sebin Simon
Publishers - Duckbill Books and Publications Pvt Ltd
Age – 9-11 years
http://www.duckbill.in/book-page?b_id=97
Stammering is not given much importance as a disability, although it can make life extremely difficult for those who have the issue. Krish is shown as overcoming his stammering to finally deliver his speech at school which puts across a very positive image for children to absorb.
Catch That Cat!
Author – Tharini Viswanath
Illustrator – Nancy Raj
Publishers – Tulika Publishers
Languages – English, Hindi, Gujrati, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali
Age – 4+
http://www.tulikabooks.com/general-picture-books/catch-that-cat-english.html
A very positive image is created through Dip Dip as she is shown to be a spirited and confident girl who is not averse to exploring public spaces despite her being a wheelchair user. Dip Dip’s amazing adventure in the process of trying to find Kaapi, her friend’s cat also helps create an understanding in children about the issues faced by those with physical disabilities in accessing public spaces.
Clumsy
Author - Ken Spillman
Illustrator - Manjari Chakravarti
Publishers – Tulika Publishers
Languages – English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Gujrati, Bengali
Age – 5+
http://www.tulikabooks.com/general-picture-books/clumsy-english.html
The various labels like Clumsy, Slowcoach, Careless, Sloppy, Messy, Butterfingers given to the girl in the book are commonly used by adults in their interactions with children, either their own or otherwise and can be the cause of psychological and emotional trauma in them. How the girl uses art as a medium to deal with it is what the story is about.
Flute in the Forest
Author - Leela Gaur Broome
Publishers – Penguin India
Age – Young Readers
https://penguin.co.in/book/young-readers/flute-in-the-forest/
A physical disability like the one that results because of being afflicted with polio can lead to an extremely sad and lonely life. However, Atiya’s discovery of her passion – the flute changes many things in her life in a positive way. Music is depicted as a powerful medium to overcome issues associated with her disability like that of isolation and attitudinal barriers. The story is even more special because of the fact that many incidents mentioned are based on real-life ones from the author’s own life.
Kanna Panna
Author - Zai Whitaker
Illustrator - Niloufer Wadia
Publishers – Tulika Publishers
Languages – English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Gujrati, Bengali
Age – 5 +
http://www.tulikabooks.com/general-picture-books/kanna-panna-english.html
Visual impairment is portrayed in a nuanced way so that children do not get inhibited by it but get to understand the difficulties faced by somebody who has such a disability. Simple day to day incidents in Kanna’s life give the reader a sense of the life experiences of a blind person and about how different they are from our own. The story also attempts to break the stereotype that disabled people can’t have fun.
Kittu’s Very Mad Day
Author - Harshikaa Udasi
Illustrator - Lavanya Naidu
Publishers - Duckbill Books and Publications Pvt Ltd
Age – 6-16 years
https://www.amazon.in/Kittus-Very-Mad-Children-First/dp/9383331836/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Sometimes things that could be normal and easy activities for a person without a disability can appear crazy and totally impossible to a disabled person. This is the essence of the story about Kittu, who is a young boy who walks with crutches. Whether his physical disability stops him from having fun and enjoying skateboarding also allows children to understand the fact that children with disabilities too want to have fun and are open to trying. A story that attempts to break stereotypes about disabled people.
Manya Learns To Roar
Author - Shruthi Rao
Illustrator - Priya Kuriyan
Publishers - Duckbill Books and Publications Pvt Ltd
Age – 6-16 years
http://www.duckbill.in/book-page?b_id=125
Another book for children that portrays a small girl who stammers and attempts to help readers understand Manya’s innermost wishes and the emotional turmoil she goes through as well as the effect this has on her stammering. The book also attempts to put across the negative effects of making fun of somebody who has a difficulty. Through the narrative, the author also portrays the important role that adults like teachers can play, by placing their belief in the abilities of a child with disability.
Neel On Wheels
Author - Lavanya Karthik
Illustrator - Habib Ali
Publishers - Duckbill Books and Publications Pvt Ltd
Age – 6-8 years
http://www.duckbill.in/book-page?b_id=138
Fantasy is utilised to expose children to the world of Neel, a small boy who is a wheelchair user. Physical disability need not limit anybody is a message that is sent across.
Simply Nanju
Author - Zainab Sulaiman
Publishers - Duckbill Books and Publications Pvt Ltd
Age – 10+ years
http://www.duckbill.in/book-page?b_id=103
The setting itself being a school for disabled children provides children with the opportunity to be exposed to multiple disabilities and an environment that is unknown to them. The author also includes aspects of social inequality into this heartwarming story about childhood innocence. Nanju is a boy who was born with a spinal defect who tries to be a real-world detective and solve the case of the books that go missing in his school. The story also provides an insight into stuff that children face world over; that of bullying and pressure from peers which is also present in this school for disabled children thereby helping the readers understand that this school is no different from any other regular school.
Susie Will Not Speak
Author - Shruthi Rao
Illustrator - Lavanya Naidu
Publishers - Duckbill Books and Publications Pvt Ltd
Age – 6-8 years
http://www.duckbill.in/book-page?b_id=135
A story about friendship and its triumph over the cruel attempts by kids to tease and make fun of Susie for her lisp form the essence of this book.
Ten
Author - Shefalee Jain
Illustrator - Shefalee Jain
Publishers – Tulika Publishers
Languages – Hindi, Tamil
Age – 2+
http://www.tulikabooks.com/general-picture-books/ten-english.html
Diversity is portrayed through a beginner counting book in a simple manner. That our society is an amalgamation of a variety of people who differ in multiple things including abilities is put across very unobstrusively.
Unbroken
Author - Nandhika Nambi
Publishers - Duckbill Books and Publications Pvt Ltd
Age – 13+ years
http://www.duckbill.in/book-page?b_id=113
A young adult book that seeks to address the issue of how life can change in a moment and leave us with a disability. It also tries to put across a message of resilience - how we face a situation or condition is the important criteria that will shape our future. The disability that Akriti faces is that of an inability to walk following an accident and the consequent anger that she feels at having to depend on others, which is not a strong point of her personality.
Vibhuti Cat
Author - Shikhandin
Illustrator - Shubham Lakhera
Publishers - Duckbill Books and Publications Pvt Ltd
Age – 6-8 years
http://www.duckbill.in/book-page?b_id=137
Magesh is a young boy who has difficulty in communicating through words. However, he does manage to do so through other means which is why he is shown to get along better with his cat, Vibhuti and his brother, Vignesh. The story also goes on to tell about how he finds art as a means of expressing himself and through this process grows as a person too. Really powerful stereotype breakers are put across to readers in a simple way.
Welcome To The Forest
Author - Bhavna Menon
Illustrator - Kavita Singh Kale
Publishers – Pratham Books
Age – Independent reading level
https://store.prathambooks.org/control/productDetails?productId=9789353091903
https://storyweaver.org.in/stories/26727-welcome-to-the-forest
The book attempts to provide a peek into the ways in which a visually impaired person experiences the world. This has been done through the medium of a trip to the forest (Tulsa is off to Kanha Tiger Reserve with her school friends), a place that provides rich and varied sensory experiences that needn’t be limited to the visual sense alone.
Why Are You Afraid to Hold My Hand?
Author - Sheila Dhir
Illustrator - Sheila Dhir
Publishers – Tulika Publishers
Languages – English, Tamil
Age – 6 +
http://www.tulikabooks.com/in-verse/why-are-you-afraid-to-hold-my-hand-english.html
Through the character of a child with cerebral palsy, the author tries to answer questions, misconceptions, doubts and fears that people express or share regarding their interactions with people with disabilities. This is done so in a sensitive manner while also driving home the point to both adult and child readers that disability does not define a person and that one needn’t be too confused on how to interact with or befriend disabled people. The book also attempts to put across the fact that the constant struggle faced by people in interacting with a person with disability comes from limited exposure they have to those with disabilities over the course of their lifetimes.
Wings To Fly
Author - Sowmya Rajendran
Illustrator - Arun Kaushik
Publishers – Tulika Publishers
Languages – English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Gujrati, Bengali
Age – 5 +
http://www.tulikabooks.com/general-picture-books/wings-to-fly-english.html
The book tells the real-life story of international para athlete Malathi Holla. In a simple manner, the story reveals to the reader about the determination exhibited by this brave young girl in a wheelchair. This story is universal as it essentially talks about the hopes and dreams of a small girl and how she works with determination and a strength of purpose towards achieving her goal.
Conclusion
One thing that really stood out for me was the dearth and in some cases absence of books that feature characters with autism, ADHD and other intellectual disabilities like dyslexia, dyscalculia or dysgraphia. This list is not exhaustive. With the commitment shown by publishers like Duckbill, Tulika and Pratham as well as initiatives like the one by Tata Trusts Parag in bringing out children’s books that sensitise children to the diversity in our society, especially about disabilities; I hope it leads to a better understanding of what being differently abled entails. Books and stories shape our very thinking and this is especially true in the case of children. So, through books that tell of stories about disabled characters, children understand about diversity and build empathy and acceptance about differences. These are fundamental points that can contribute to creating a more inclusive society.
I am Chitra Paul, mom to a 13 year old boy on the autism spectrum who like Magesh (Vibhuti Cat) communicates and expresses through means other than speech. In a previous life, I worked as a clinical microbiologist. Currently reside in Bangalore and don multiple hats including those of a trained special educator, an autism and inclusion advocate, a parent support group admin, a parent mentor as well as somebody who passionately believes that all children with special needs have a right to a life with respect and dignity in this world. I try to follow the saying, “Nothing for us, without us” and so advocate strongly for inclusion of the voices of people on the autism spectrum in as many facets of life as possible. The role that I cherish above all though is the one stated right at the beginning, that of being a mom!
