Insights
all insightsInclusive Storytelling: Children’s Books by Deaf Authors and Featuring Deaf Characters
Telling stories has been a cherished tradition for many centuries. Storytelling brings people together, which offers a shared space to connect with each other, reflect, and learn. We shine a light on diverse cultures and backgrounds, foster empathy and understanding, and share valuable life lessons through our storytelling. With these stories, we preserve history and celebrate creativity, all while exploring the complexities of the human experience.
What is Inclusive Storytelling?
Inclusive storytelling is an approach to writing narratives that represents a diverse set of voices, identities, perspectives, and experiences. Representing all people, regardless of their race, gender, status, ability, or background.
Inclusive storytelling shows up across all genres and types of books, including children’s books, young adult books, and adult books. It even shows up in other forms of written media such as news articles, blogs, magazines, and more. In this article, we’ll mainly be focusing on children’s books by Deaf authors and featuring Deaf characters, but we highly encourage you to explore a wide range of narratives that highlight different abilities, perspectives, and experiences as well.
The definition of the word inclusive is “broad in orientation or scope, including everyone especially including and accommodating people who have historically been excluded (as because of their race, gender, sexuality, or ability)” (Merriam-Webster). Inclusive is derived from the Medieval Latin word, inclusivus, which means “characterized by including a great deal, leaving little out”.
Storytelling with inclusion in mind, allows different stories to represent people of all backgrounds around the world, regardless of race, gender, class, or ability.
Why Inclusive Storytelling is Important
Inclusive storytelling practices are important because they showcase people from different backgrounds and life experiences, where they can see themselves reflected within the narrative of these stories. We’re surrounded by a diverse group of people with different life experiences, and when we embrace the diversity of human experiences, everyone wins. Stories with wide-ranging perspectives empower individuals, foster empathy, and allow us to better understand those who may be different from us.
The human experience is complex, and every individual’s story is unique. We’re shaped by an intricate web of emotions, cultures, beliefs, identities and histories. Where we come from, the challenges we face, and the relationships we build, influence the personal choices we make. It’s difficult to fully understand the human experience through one voice, which is why inclusive storytelling is so vital in our society. It helps us appreciate a variety of experiences and allows us to better understand, challenge assumptions, and dismantle barriers. In short, inclusive storytelling paves the way to building a more compassionate world where every story can be heard and valued.
Diverse narrative voices are especially important in children’s books, as this is a crucial time in a child’s development. By exposing younger readers to new perspectives, we can guide them as they are forming their understanding of the world around them. This can help build empathy, challenge stereotypes, and recognize the value that different cultures bring to the table. Diverse voices in children’s books help shape a more inclusive and passionate future, which will foster a generation that values diversity in all its forms.
We’re excited to feature a handful of children’s books that highlight Deaf characters, some of which are written by Deaf authors and illustrated by Deaf artists. Take a look at this stellar list of books below!
Featured Books by Karlie Waldrip, Illustrated by Lucy Rogers
We’re happy to feature two thoughtfully written children’s books by Karlie Waldrip – I Deaf-initely Can, Rhett the Heeler, and We Deaf-Initely Can: Let the Adventures Begin (Deaf-Initely Can Series), both beautifully illustrated by Lucy Rogers.
Karlie created the Deaf-Initely Can Series, which is based on the true story of her dog, Rhett the heeler, to raise awareness and educate about Deaf dogs and celebrate their unique ways they navigate the world.
While writing this series, Karlie aimed to show more representation to the Deaf community:
“As a Deaf author, I believe it’s crucial to empower more Deaf authors to share their stories using Deaf characters in hopes that kids can see themselves represented, and others can realize that we are deaf-initely capable of achieving anything we set our minds to do.”
Karlie is also proud to have partnered with a Deaf artist to illustrate the series, Lucy Rogers. Here’s what she had to say about working with Karlie on this series:
“I loved illustrating Karlie’s books because they have given many people a positive education about how to take care of Deaf dogs and teaching simple but useful ASL to many families to help them communicate with their dogs. It’s a brilliant example of positive Deaf representation created by two Deaf people in two different countries!”
You can find a copy of Karlie’s Deaf-Initely Can book series below:
To learn more about Lucy’s illustrative work, please see her links below:
Other Notable Children’s Books with Deaf Characters and/or Deaf Authors
Diary of a Hard of Hearing Kid Written by Isaiah John Baier
This book gives readers a glimpse into the life of Isaiah Baier, a very normal, yet extraordinary kid, who, after losing his hearing to meningitis at 20 months old, began a journey through both trial and triumph. Be prepared to laugh, cry, and be inspired as Isaiah recounts every day circumstances from his own remarkable 11-year-old perspective.
You can find a link to this book HERE.
Hands and Hearts: With 15 Words in American Sign Language Written by Donna Jo Napoli and Illustrated by Amy Bates
“A mother and daughter spend a sunny day at the beach together where they swim, dance, build sandcastles, and, most importantly, communicate. But their communication is not spoken; rather, it is created by loving hands that use American Sign Language.”
You can find a link to this book HERE.
More than Words: So Many Ways to Say What We Mean Written by Roz MacLean
“At school, Nathan quietly observes the ways his peers communicate. Even when they’re not talking, they’re expressing themselves in all sorts of ways!
By witnessing the beauty of communication diversity, Nathan learns and shows his classmates the essential lesson: Not only does everyone have something to say, but seeking to understand one another can be the greatest bridge to friendship and belonging.”
You can find a link to this book HERE.
The human experience is complex, and every individual’s story is unique, which is why inclusive storytelling is so important! By including Deaf and hard-of-hearing characters in children’s books, we not only empower readers to explore Deaf culture, but also allow members of the community to see themselves reflected in the characters within these books. Happy reading, and here’s to building a world with more compassion where we can connect, reflect, and share valuable life lessons through the stories we tell.
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