Disabilities

Psychic Girl Communicates with Animals

ByMichael Thal August 31, 2017

Lost and Found by Sharon Ledwith is an excellent read for YA readers on several levels. It teaches kids about leadership and responsibility, and it sets a fine example for us humans to care better for the animals around us Whiskey, a fifteen-year-old calico cat, is the only link of communication between the cat floor…

A Loss for Words: The Story of Deafness in a Family

ByMichael Thal August 12, 2017

Author Lou Ann Walker’s primary language is American Sign Language (ASL). Born to Deaf parents, it was her job to be the ears and voice for her family. Raised in Indiana during the early 1950s-60s, Walker eloquently writes about a loving family faced by an ignorant public to the problems inherent in deafness. Over twenty-three…

Flying to the Fire: A YA Thriller

ByMichael Thal July 22, 2017July 22, 2017

Flying to the Fire is the second book in Elyse Salpeter’s Flying Series. The central character, Danny Anderson, a thirteen-year old deaf child with special gifts, has the unique talent of communicating with the souls of the dead. In the first book in the series, Flying to the Light, Danny is six when a crazy corrupt…

2017 Summer YA Reading List

ByMichael Thal June 20, 2017June 20, 2017

Summertime is that special time of year when we can lay out on the beach, absorb some rays, and catch up on our reading wish list. Below you’ll find the six best YA books Pop read this past year and figures you’d enjoy it, too. Flying to the Light Author: Elyse Salpeter Kindle Edition:…

basketball | Disabilities | sports

Special Basketball Stars: Special Macabees vs Special Olympics

ByMichael Thal March 1, 2017

The Greeks expected people with special needs to be put away in some dark hidden place. Sixteenth Century Christians, like Martin Luther and John Calvin, believed people with disabilities to be possessed by evil spirits. During the third decade of the Twentieth Century the Nazis blatantly exterminated them. The Jewish Community Center on Olympic Blvd….

New Year’s Resolution: Read More…And Here’s Why

ByMichael Thal December 27, 2016

What are you reading? It’s a simple question that could elicit a complex response and an exchange of ideas. It’s a question that can cut through all the tedious niceties and get right to the issue—the depth of your mind and that of your friend. This is our time of year for resolutions. “I’ll lose…

American Sign Language | Deaf | Disabilities | Hard-of-hearing

Why Study American Sign Language?

ByMichael Thal December 18, 2016

Twenty-three years ago I awoke to a profound silence. I thought it was an ear infection, but the ENT specialist had a different diagnosis—sudden sensoineural hearing loss (SSHL). Most of us call it sudden deafness. I lost the ability to hear at least 30 decibels in my left ear and over 50 in my right…

Childhood Diabetes Uncovered

ByMichael Thal December 3, 2016

Nine-year-old Portia Maddox needs to use the restroom every time she drinks water. She’s always thirsty and hungry and still bone thin. School Nurse Bryant recommends a doctor appointment, and Dr. Thomas confirms her suspicions—Portia has childhood diabetes. She now needs to test her blood regularly and inject herself with insulin; which turns out to…

12 YA Beach Reads to Tan by This Summer

ByMichael Thal June 1, 2016

Summer 2016 is right around the corner. What better way to enjoy a day at the beach than to bring a good book to soak up the sun? Here are 12 YA books on the SCBWI “Summer Reading List” by California writers. With each book you’ll find its category, author, brief description, and link to…

Fantastic Boy Novel

ByMichael Thal March 18, 2016March 18, 2016

Tyler Moore spent most of his early childhood in and out of hospitals. He had cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening hereditary disease causing thick mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive tract. But Tyler wouldn’t let his disability stop him, so when he entered Harpers Ferry Junior High School he decided he would be…