1. Evaluating Children’s Books that Address
Disability as a Part of Diversity
Book Title:
We’ll Paint the Octopus Red
Written by: Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen
Illustrated by: Pam De Vito
Publisher: Woodbine House, 1998
Accessed the book from Centennial College Library
Nasim Khan
Student ID: 300621777
Course Code & Sec: ECEP-233/01
Instructor: Prof. Chris Cadieux
Date: February 08, 2013

2. A Short Synopsis of the Story
“We‟ll Paint the Octopus Red” is a children‟s story book that addresses disability.
This book has been written by Stephanie Stuve- Bodeen, and illustrated by Pam
Devito. It is a very meaningful, touching, and learning book for children. This is an
excellent book to teach young children about Down syndrome. This book also
encourages children not to discriminate but to become friends with people with
disabilities. The perspective of this story has been woven through discussions
between Emma, a 6 years old girl, and her father about the arrival of a new baby.
The author nicely illustrated the dimensions of a child‟s imagination about the
arrival of a new member in the family. Initially, Emma (the existing girl) is not at
all interested to do anything with the new baby. But when her dad told that Emma
would be able to help change the new baby‟s diapers, she replied, “That sounds
yucky” (p3). She is not interested to roll a ball to the baby, to read books with him,
and to play with him kickball in the backyard. She thinks that the new baby will
share her privileges, so she is not ready to share the upcoming new born baby. But
her father motivated her slowly to attract attachment with the new born baby. Then
Emma thought of herself „at least a million things‟ she would be able to do with
her new brother or sister. She thought that they would feed calves with a nipple
bottle in grandpa‟s firm, paint a picture with an octopus, go to see Aunt Wendy, go
to Africa on a safari etc. She developed some positive attitude towards the new
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3. child in her own world of imagination. Finally, she is now ready to accept the child
mentally.
In such a situation, she received a message from her dad that the baby was born
with Down syndrome. Emma observed her father‟s eyes red when he labelled the
message to Emma. She did not know what Down syndrome is, but she made her
own explanation of Down syndrome. She developed an idea that the new baby will
not be able to do anything she thought earlier. However, the author explained
Down syndrome to Emma through her dad. The book nicely explained why some
children get it and the reason of parents‟ sadness when a baby with Down
syndrome is born. Her dad told that Isaac (the new baby) would be able to do
everything with a little help.
This story will help the children understand that a child with Down syndrome can
do activities like other children. Children with Down syndrome can do any activity
if they are supported with patience and helping initiatives. The question-answer
section of this book will help the children to understand more about Down
syndrome and related issues.
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4. A Checklist to Evaluate Children‟s Books that Address Disability
as
Part of Diversity
Circle T for each statement that is true and F for each statement that is False.
1. Check the Illustrations:
Stereotypes: There are no stereotypes promoted in this book.
T or F (True)
No stereotype illustration is presented in the story. In the illustration, I saw that
Isaac is doing all works like a healthy typical child. For Example, the illustration
has shown that Emma and Isaac are standing in front Aunt Wendy‟s door. The
illustration is not showing any disability syndrome. All children including those
with Down syndrome will get encouraged with this positive illustration.
Who’s doing what: The children/characters with disabilities have
leadership and/or action roles.
T or F (True)
Emma and her father were thinking about the activities that the new born baby
would do in future. They imagined that he will be able to feed calves, stick out his
tongue at car with some extra help. The illustration shows that Isaac is doing
everything with his sister in his own way like a healthy baby, and Emma is helping
him.
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5. 2. Check the Story Line:
Standards for success: The characters with disabilities are accepted for their
own individual behaviours.
T or F (True)
The article „Nine ways to Evaluate Children’s Books‟ addresses Disability as Part
of Diversity, and has mentioned, “To gain acceptance and approval, the child with
disability should not have to exhibit extraordinary qualities”(p1). In this story
when the boy was born with Down syndrome, the family accepted him as an
individual. Emma and her father were discussing that the new born baby with
Down syndrome will do everything like any other baby, but he need more time and
help.
Resolution of Problems: The characters with disabilities help resolve the
problem.
T or F (False)
Isaac is a new born baby who cannot resolve any problem. Emma thought that
Isaac would not be able to do lots of thing like sticking his tongue, visiting Aunty
Wendy‟s house, or going to a safari in Africa. Dad said Isaac would be very good
at those things. Her father is explaining how the baby would be resolving the
problems in future with little help. When Emma asked her father, “If Isaac has this
down thing then what can‟t he do?” Her father replied, “As long as we were patient
with Isaac, and helped him when he needed it, there probably wasn‟t anything he
couldn‟t do.”
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6. Role of the character with a disability: The same story could be told if the
character did not have a disability.
T or F (False)
The Down syndrome of the baby gave a climax to the story. It has made it
nontraditional. In the absence of the disable character the story would not continue
further. This disable character enriched the story by new thoughts and ideas about
disable children by family members. It has developed curiosity to the readers what
would be next, and what is going to happen.
3. Consider the Effects on a Child‟s Self-Image: There are one or more
characters with whom a child (reader) with a disability can readily
identify as a positive and constructive role model.
T or F (True)
The character, Isaac, is a perfect role model for children with disability. Isaac is a
positive character showing his future participation in activities that attract other
children with Down syndrome. As a reader or listener a child can be encouraged
with understanding that any child is able to do activities despite they have physical
differences.
4. Consider the Author and/or Illustrator‟s Background: The author and/or
illustrator‟s background strengthens the value of his/her work.
T or F (True)
The author‟s background strengthens the value of her writing. She is an award
winning children‟s author. As a teacher of early childhood class in YMCA, and a
mother of two children she is able to understand children‟s points of view as well
as parent‟s points of view. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania (back
page of the book). So she has knowledge about different communities. She also
wrote Elizabeti‟s Doll (Lee & Law books) which is the winner of the Ezra Jack
Keats Award. She wrote another book about disability named “The Best Worst
Brother”. By this story „We‟ll Paint the Octopus Red‟ she tried to remove
stereotype ideas about a child with Down syndrome
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7. 5. This book is developmentally appropriate for preschoolers?
T or F (True)
This book is appropriate for preschoolers. This book is intended for children from
ages 3-6 years. The words used in this book are very simple and natural. For
example, when Emma‟s father gave her many choices she replied to her father,
“That sounds boring”, “I don‟t know how to read yet” (p3, 4). The preschooler
children could find similarities with the story character. In this story the author did
not use any stereotype or any offensive terms.
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8. Short paragraph
This story addresses a positive attitude towards children with disability. The author
gave the way out, how the ability of children with Down syndrome could be
increased. The author stated that a child with Down syndrome can do everything
like other children with some extra help and care. The style of the story helped
Emma to develop positive attitude towards a child with Down syndrome. In this
story, dad explained the situation to Emma about a child with Down syndrome
through a long discussion. It helped Emma to believe that the child will be able to
do everything she thought. But the author did not forget the reality. She mentioned
the emotion of dad by saying „red eyes‟ of dad. It created negative impression in
the mind of Emma about a child with Down syndrome. So she guessed, „Isaac
won‟t be able to play kickball with me‟ (p13). The author presented the reality that
every parent has an expectation for a healthy baby, but when they have a baby with
some disability they need some time to cope with it. As mentioned in the book
„We’ll Paint the Octopus Red‟, “Grown-ups might be sad because they did not plan
to have a baby with Down syndrome………then they can stop being sad and
scared and just enjoy their new baby” (question-answers # 6, Question answer
section of this book).
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9. Yes, I recommend this book for preschool children. This will open their positive
attitude towards people with disability. This story will help them to learn that a
child with Down syndrome can do everything like others. They are not different.
Preschoolers will accept them as an individual with their strengths and weaknesses.
This will help reducing social stigma and isolation with Down syndrome.
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10. Self-Evaluation
Strengths
Practical experience of working with preschoolers during my field placement is my
strength. I know what types of story they like, and what type of books are
appropriate for them. Moreover, the checklist as described in the handout „Nine
Ways to Evaluate Children’s Books that Address Disability as Part of Diversity‟
helped me to evaluate the story for the preschoolers. My passion drove me finding
the appropriate book, and evaluating the book on time.
Challenges
This is the first time that I have evaluated a children‟s book that addresses
disability as part of diversity. I worked hard to find the relevant books at book
stores, in my local public library, and college library. I could find very limited
number of children‟s books that address disability as part of diversity. I have
searched through the internet to find names of some children‟s books that address
disability as a part of diversity. I selected name of some books including the
edition, writer, publisher, and library catalogue numbers. Then I went to the book
store „Indigo‟ to buy the book. But I did not find any related book that I needed.
Next day, I went to the local Toronto Public Library. I tried for half an hour myself
to find a children‟s book that addresses disability as part of diversity. Then I
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11. approached the librarian to find me a book. The Librarian gave me two books that
address disability as part of diversity. I borrowed those books, I read them, but I
was not satisfied. Then I have searched Centennial College online library for more
books. I found the book „We’ll Paint the Octopus Red‟ at the library, and put it on
hold online. Next week, I went to the Centennial Library, talked to the librarian
about the book that I put on hold, and got it. I read the book several times, and then
I read the assignment package related to this assignment. I read the book again.
These steps helped me to work on this assignment.
Future Plans
After completing this assignment, I have developed an in-depth idea about
critically thinking and evaluating a children‟s book before reading it to the
preschoolers. I also developed insight about choosing the books for children with
special needs. In future, I will apply nine ways to evaluate a story book more
effectively.
Learning Outcome
I have developed valuable positive learning skills while doing this assignment. For
the first time I have evaluated a book for preschoolers based on nine ways. I read
this book and saw the illustrations as a critic. I have learned how to choose and
present a book to the children. I have also learned that children with disability
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12. should not be treated and viewed differently. According to the nine ways to
evaluate children‟s books, “The Children with disabilities should not only function
in supportive or, subservient roles.” (Nine ways to evaluate children‟s that Address
Disability as Part of Diversity, p1). I believe that this assignment is the gateway to
the vast world of inclusion as a subject of study. This assignment will help me in
future to choose books for the students in the classroom as an ECE. It will also be
helpful to handle the children with Down syndrome. From this book I have learned
that I will give the extra time and care, and will be more patient with such children.
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13. Bibliography
1. Stuve-Bodeen, S. (1998). We‟ll Paint the Octopus Red. Bethesda (MD):
Woodbine House Inc.
2. Nine Ways to Evaluate Children‟s Books that Address Disability as Part of
Diversity. Handout by Chris Cadieux.
3. Recommended Reading for Siblings. Retrieved on Jan 26, 2013 from
http://www.downsyn.com/readingkids.html
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