THIS IS HOW WE TALK: A Beautifully Inclusive Picture Book

As a librarian at a school with wide-ranging educational programming and services for students with disabilities and a neurodiverse population, I am always looking for books that represent our inclusive community. This Is How We Talk: A Celebration of Disability and Connection written by Jessica Slice and Caroline Cupp and illustrated by Kayla Harren is one I am excited to get for our shelves. Even the endpapers depicting children joyfully interacting with the support of assistive devices affirm the various ways people communicate and may spark thoughtful discussion before the text even begins.

Told in lively verse, children share how they and their family members communicate. They may use writing, speaking, gestures, signing, technology, communication boards, facial expressions, or other methods, but all are highlighted as valid ways to express oneself.

Some of these methods of communication may be less familiar to some children, while others might be familiar to many. This book is sure to promote reflection about our own ways of communicating, and foster understanding about the diverse ways humans connect.

The comprehensive back matter includes separate guides for both kids and grown-ups. There is a list of the types of communication represented throughout the book with accessible explanations for each. There is also a list of disabilities and illnesses represented in the book accompanied by brief descriptions. This book is a follow-up to This Is How We Play, another title worth checking out.