Accurate representation of disabled characters in literature is already quite rare, but even more infrequent are nuanced depictions of disabled characters in romantic relationships. (We’re excluding narratives that end with said characters dying.) However, in L.S. Rydde’s The Pearls of Yesterday, its main character, Abigail, lives with spinal muscular atrophy and a deep desire to…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2022 Illustrator Signed for a Picture Book Starring a Black Girl in a Wheelchair Eugene, OR — INCLUDAS Publishing’s newest illustrator for an upcoming collaborative project is award-winning children’s book artist Melquea Smith. She will be the visual hand behind a picture book about a young Black girl in a…
For this review, Catherine examines the contemporary middle grade novel “Air” by Monica Roe. Catherine is disabled but not a wheelchair user. Air by Monica Roe 5/5 stars 5/5 Twelve-year-old Emmie is a high-energy WCMX (wheelchair motocross) aficionado. She enjoys popping tricks on her wheelchair, going fast, and of course, hanging out with her best friend…
Hushed voices, crinkling dust jackets, and fingers clacking against keyboards. Peppery pencil shavings, sweet crisp paper, and musky ink. Rows of wooden bookcases, bright illustrative book covers, and a community of readers of all ages. INCLUDAS is celebrating these sounds, scents, and sights this month as February is National Library Lover’s Month. Your local library may be…
For the 3rd Annual Book Party today, our Senior Editor, Madison Parrotta, debunks some books with disability representation. Not all books are written equally, so we wanted to dive into some of the harmful and stereotypical messages that hide between the pages. Disclaimer: This post contains spoilers for all the books mentioned. My Brother Charlie by…
It’s our 3rd Annual INCLUDAS Book Party, and we made a tactile book. Tactile books stimulate a reader’s sensory skills. They usually contain interesting textures and surfaces or moving objects that help tactile learners engage with literary texts. They are fun for everyone, but are especially popular as learning tools for low vision and blind…
For INCLUDAS’s end of this year’s book party, we asked readers for their favorite books with disability representation. Here’s the list we’ve compiled! This is not a sponsored post nor are we endorsing any of the books or authors. Please use your own judgement when considering reading a particular book for yourself. Ellen Outside the Lines…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 1, 2021 INCLUDAS Founder Joins BookTalk Event’s Board of Directors (Eugene, OR) — INCLUDAS Publishing is thrilled to announce that Luda Gogolushko, its founder, has joined BookTalk Event’s board of directors. Founded in March of 2021, BookTalk Event is a virtual space where creatives in the book industry can meet new…
Nicole joined the INCLUDAS team in September 2021 and is the Social Media Intern. We are so excited to have her with us! Tell us about yourself. I feel like I’m a good listener, especially since I was a journalism major in college. Because I interviewed so many people, I developed the ability to empathize…
Joanna joined the INCLUDAS team in September 2021 and is the Writing and Editing Intern. We are so excited to have her with us! Tell us about yourself. In having a very apparent physical disability, it is often easy to feel like the cards are stacked against me on a daily basis. But it is…
Joanna joined the INCLUDAS team from September-December 2021 was the Marketing Intern. We were so excited to have her with us! Tell us about yourself. I’m passionate about children’s publishing and diversity in children’s publishing. It’s been that way for a long time, even before I decided to pursue it professionally. I love seeing inclusion…