Stories of Inclusion Focus on What Children with Disabilities CAN Do

Making friends can be difficult for many children, but it’s particularly challenging for children with disabilities, who may not be able to participate in all of the same activities as their peers. Author Charles Schoen, who is also the executive director of the Adaptive Learning Center in Atlanta, has made it his mission to help children and their families recognize that, in spite of physical or mental challenges, there are a lot of things that children with disabilities CAN do. His compelling new children’s book series, Adventures with Charlie, shares the inspirational tales of a young boy who is disabled, but that hasn’t stopped him from going to school, playing baseball or even completing a half-marathon. And perhaps more importantly, Charlie makes friends everywhere he goes. Parents and children can follow Charlie as he learns and grows through new experiences. In the first book of the series, Charlie Goes to School, readers get to explore a day of school from Charlie’s perspective, as he travels on the wind of his wheelchair, meets his friends, gathers knowledge and arrives back home flying through the air. In Charlie Goes to Tommy’s Barber Shop and Charlie Goes to Waffle House, children can learn from the ways in which Charlie interacts and makes friends in his community. Charlie Plays Baseball shares the motivational story of a baseball league that caters to children with special needs and physical challenges. And Charlie and the Half-Marathon will have readers cheering as Charlie and his father team-up for this exciting new adventure. “Children need to have stories that illustrate the idea that ‘being different from typical peers’ can have some special rewards,” says Schoen. The Adventures with Charlie series emphasizes what children CAN do in the face of physical or developmental challenges, and along the way, points out that when communities embrace and lift up all children, everyone wins. About the Author Charles Schoen is the Executive Director of The Adaptive Learning Center, a preschool inclusion program in Atlanta, Georgia. He has three children. His oldest child, Charlie, is the inspiration for his books. For more information, please visit www.adventureswcharlie.com. Adventures with Charlie Book Series Publisher: Catch the Spirit Available from Amazon.com and www.adventureswcharlie.com