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Nancy's Book Corner - Episode 4 - “Yes I Can: A Girl and Her Wheelchair”
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SPEAKER: Nancy's Book Corner. A read aloud of children's books that introduce disabilities and celebrate differences.
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Illustration of books on a shelf next to an open book with cartoon hearts.
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NANCY TRUSH: Hi, welcome back to Nancy's Book Corner. I'm Nancy Trush, co-founder of Daniel's Music Foundation and Daniel's mom.
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She sits next to a bookshelf and holds an open book.
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As an early childhood educator, one of my favorite things to do is to share special books about differences with my students.
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Book cover illustration, three children stand next to Carolyn, who sits in a wheelchair and raises her arms. They all smile.
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The title of today's book is, Yes, I can. Written by Kendra J. Barrett, Jacqueline B. Toner, and Claire A. B. Freelamd. And illustrated by Violet Lemay.
Yes, I can is the story about a little girl named Carolyn who uses a wheelchair. She can do almost everything the other kids can do, even if sometimes she has to do it a little differently. Carolyn is excited to start the school year and make new friends. Let's get started.
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Nancy smiles. Illustration, Carolyn builds with blocks at a desk as her dog watches her.
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This is Carolyn. Like many kids her age, Carolyn loves animals, castles, and building with blocks.
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Carolyn helps her dad make chocolate chip cookies. A cat stands against the counter.
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She is helpful to her mom and dad and even to her baby brother. Carolyn loves to hold her baby brother on her lap and feed him a bottle.
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Illustration, Carolyn feeds her brother. Nancy turns the page.
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Carolyn started a new school this year. She thinks her teacher seems really nice and she is getting to know her classmates. The other students are curious about Carolyn because she uses a wheelchair.
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Illustration, Carolyn sits at a desk in her classroom.
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When she was born, her body did not work like most people. She cannot use her legs to walk, but she can do almost everything at school, even when she needs to do things a bit differently. She joins right enduring reading time. The teacher asks if the children can think of words that rhyme with cat. She writes on the board rat, bat, sat, and mat.
Carolyn is excited to add to the list. She raises her hand and says, yes, I can. And then adds other words that rhyme with cat, hat, pat, and splat.
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Carolyn raises her hand as her teacher writes on the board. Nancy turns the page. Illustration, students sit in a circle around the teacher.
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Sometimes, Carolyn can do what the other kids do with just a little help. At circle time, Carolyn wants to sit on the carpet with her classmates. Her teacher helps her get out of her wheelchair.
When her teacher asks if she can come up front to help with the morning song, Carolyn says, yes, I can. Instead of walking, Caroline uses her hands to scoot on her bottom to get to the front of the class. The first few times, the other children stared because they had never seen a kid move like this before. But now they're used to it and they hardly notice.
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The teacher holds out a triangle to Carolyn as she scoots to the front. Nancy turns the page. Illustration, Carolyn sits in her wheelchair and hands a paper to a classmate.
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When the students return to their desks, the teacher asks, who would like to feed Toffee? Carolyn raises her hand high, but the teacher picks Jack to feed the class bunny. She says Carolyn, you can hand out these papers to the class. It's hard to fit her wheelchair between the desks and chairs and it's frustrating, but Carolyn says, yes, I can. Even though it's difficult for Carolyn to fit her wheelchair between the desks and the chairs, she tries her best and she hands the papers out to all of her classmates. I bet she feels really proud of herself.
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Nancy smiles and turns the page.
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At lunchtime, Amira asks if Carolyn can eat with her. Carolyn says, yes, I can. Carolyn and Amira travel in line with the class to the cafeteria. The cafeteria is a room where all the children eat their lunch when they are at school.
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Illustration, Carolyn sits with her classmates at lunch.
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Carolyn pulls her wheelchair up to the lunch table. Amira sits on the end so that Carolyn can sit right next to her. Carolyn shares the cookies she baked at home with her dad. Yum.
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Nancy turns the page.
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Today is a super fun day because Carolyn's class is taking a field trip to a bowling alley. Sarah asks if Carolyn can ride the bus with them, Carolyn says, yes, I can.
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Illustration, Carolyn gets on the bus.
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Carolyn's teacher has a special bus come. Carolyn gets to ride up on the rear elevator made just for her wheelchair. At the bowling alley, Justin asks if Carolyn can bowl. Carolyn says, yes, I can.
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Illustration, Justin stands next to Carolyn and lifts a pink bowling ball.
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Carolyn asks Justin to help set up the ramp at the end of the lane. She needs someone to lift the heavy ball to the top of the ramp, but then she can push the ball down the alley. Everyone in the class wants to turn using the ramp.
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Nancy turns the page. Illustration, Carolyn talks to her mom.
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One of Carolyn's new friends Jasmine invites all the classmates to her birthday party on Saturday. Carolyn's mother tells her that the party is at a trampoline gym.
A trampoline is like a bouncy mat that you can jump up and down on. You won't be able to join the other kids in jumping, but you can go to the party and watch. Carolyn says, yes, I could. The other kids are having so much fun on the trampolines that they hardly talk to Carolyn. How do you think that makes Carolyn feel? She feels pretty sad and lonely, and thinking maybe she should have stayed home.
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Illustration, Carolyn sits alone while the other kids jump. Nancy turns the page.
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Then Jasmine's aunt walks in with Jasmine's little cousin Tina. Tina is about the same age as Carolyn's brother, and Carolyn knows that babies love playing peekaboo. Since she's feeling pretty bored, Carolyn starts to play with the baby.
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Illustration, Carolyn and Tina smile.
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Soon, baby Tina begins laughing. Carolyn knows just what to do to make baby Tina laugh. Two girls leave the trampoline and come over to play with the baby, too.
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Nancy turns the page. Illustration, Carolyn sits with her mom.
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At home after the party, Carolyn tells her mom how she felt left out at first, but that in the end she was glad that she went. Her mom tells Carolyn that she's proud of her for finding ways to have a good time, even though there are things she can't do. That's OK, says Carolyn. There's a lot I can do and my friends are really great.
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Nancy turns the page. Illustration, friends stand around Carolyn outside. Carolyn frowns.
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The next day at recess the kids are having a running race. A boy from another class calls out. She can't run so she can't play. How do you think that made Carolyn feel? Carolyn feels sad and left out. She says, I don't know how I can.
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Nancy turns the page. Illustration, Carolyn sits at the finish line and holds a flag while kids run.
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Jimmy says, yes, you can. Carolyn, you can be the referee. That's an important job because you get to announce who wins each race.
That was really kind of Jimmy to come up with an important job for Carolyn so she could participate and join in the fun. Carolyn is glad when she can be a part of things, even if she can't do everything the other kids can.
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Nancy turns the page. Illustration, Carolyn plays catch with her dad while her dog and cat watch.
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That night, Carolyn tells her dad how Jimmy helped her to join and with the others. Well, Carolyn, I'm glad your new friends can find ways to help you play with them. Carolyn says, yes, they can.
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Nancy smiles and closes the book.
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I hope you enjoyed, Yes, I Can, a book about friendship, kindness, and understanding. I look forward to sharing another story with you real soon. Goodbye.
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She waves.
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[MUSIC PLAYING]
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Illustration of books on a shelf next to an open book with cartoon hearts. Text, Nancy's Book Corner.
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