Book Review

Powers, Mary Ellen. Our Teacher's in a Wheelchair. Illinois: Albert Whitman & Company, 1986.

Our Teacher's in a Wheelchair tells the tale of a teacher that was once athletic but is now partially paralyzed. The picture book shows real black and white photos of the teacher to help emphasize that he is a real person with a real job. The story goes through the aspects of Brian, the teacher in a wheelchair, from how he gets around at school, to going out with friends, and how he is confident with himself. It helps to show students how they can be anything they want no matter what or where they are in life.

One of the main reasons I chose this book is that it describes some children are afraid of Brian. It puts the perspective of how some children might actually feel about a person in a wheelchair but in a way that children are able to understand. That might be something children will not be able to understand as heavily as it intends but it is none the less important.

Aside from that aspect of the book, I really feel the pictures will allow for students to understand that people in wheelchairs are still people, not just someone with a condition. This book is a very useful teaching tool for teachers in the area of a physical disability discussion. It is also something students can read on their own and still enjoy.