Video published by Daniel’s Music Foundation here on YouTube (link is external)
Nancy’s Book Corner - Episode #6:
Awesomely Emma (Friday, March 25, 2022)
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[00:00:00.21] Nancy's Book Corner, a read-aloud of children's books that introduce disabilities and celebrate differences.
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[00:00:07.35] A woman sits with a book in her lap.
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[00:00:09.22] Hi, welcome back to Nancy's Book Corner. I'm Nancy Trush, co-founder of Daniel's Music Foundation, and Daniel's Mom. As an early childhood educator, one of my favorite things to do is share special books about differences with my students. The title of today's book is Awesomely Emma, a Charley and Emma Story written by Amy Webb and illustrated by Merrilee Liddiard.
[00:00:40.80] Awesomely Emma is a story about a little girl named Emma who has limb differences. That means she was born with no hands. But different isn't bad, sad, or strange. It's just different. And as Emma says, "No bodies are wrong. All bodies are right. We're all different colors, sizes, and heights. Yes, my body works differently. And I love being me because me is an awesome thing to be."
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[00:01:15.60] She smiles.
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[00:01:16.62] Let's get started.
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[00:01:18.23] A mother, father, and two girls.
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[00:01:20.71] "Emma loved making art, drawing, painting, collaging. She loved it all.
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[00:01:27.75] Uses foot.
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[00:01:28.51] Besides being a great artist, Emma was good at making people laugh. And she loved her family, especially her big sister, Chloe.
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[00:01:40.05] She paints with her foot.
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[00:01:42.21] Emma also had limb differences. She had no hands and used a wheelchair to get around. Her disability was part of who she was.
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[00:01:53.51] Writes with foot.
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[00:01:54.48] Emma looked at her drawing and said, 'No bodies are wrong. All bodies are right. We're all different colors, sizes and heights. My body works differently. I love being me because me is an awesome thing to be.'
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[00:02:14.88] She sits at school with three other children.
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[00:02:17.38] One day at school, Emma's class was going to the art museum. They could hardly wait. 'I hope I can find something by my favorite artist Matisse,' Emma said. 'Did you know he used a wheelchair just like me?' 'That's so cool.' said Charley. 'Wow,' said Hazel. 'You know a lot about art,' said Porter. Emma beamed.
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[00:02:45.74] A school bus lowers a lift for her wheelchair.
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[00:02:48.27] Soon the bus came. Emma waited for a wheelchair lift to get her chair onto the bus. Her friends waited with her so they could all sit together. When they got to the museum, Emma didn't see a ramp for her wheelchair. Emma's teacher said, 'We'll have to go around back where the ramp is. We'll meet the rest of the class inside.'
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[00:03:14.12] Emma frowns and watches classmates walk up the stairs.
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[00:03:17.02] Emma's smile faded. And Charley gave her a sad look. She wanted to go in the front door with everyone else. Emma felt frustrated, but she silently reminded herself, 'My body works differently. I love being me because me is an awesome thing to be.
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[00:03:41.40] She closes her eyes and smiles to herself.
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[00:03:43.93] Once inside, Emma felt better as she zoomed all over the museum looking at art with her friends. Each piece was a different size, shape, and color, and was beautiful in its own way. 'Look,' said at Emma. 'It's a Matisse.'
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[00:04:03.89] Green, blue, orange and pink leaf-like shapes.
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[00:04:07.28] Emma beamed while everyone gazed up at the beautiful art. Maybe someday her art would be in a museum.
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[00:04:16.06] Daydreams her art on the wall.
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[00:04:17.66] Suddenly Charley grabbed the back of Emma's chair. 'Here, Emma, let me push you around.' Emma frowned. 'Please don't grab my chair without asking. I like to drive myself.'
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[00:04:31.80] Emma frowns.
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[00:04:32.72] Then at lunch, Charley grabbed Emma's backpack and set out her lunch for her. 'Aah, thanks,' said Emma. 'You're welcome,' said Charley.
[00:04:44.96] Finally as the class took a break to draw and Emma was getting out of her chair to sketch on the floor, Charley quickly grabbed her and tried to help her down. Now Emma felt mad.
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[00:05:00.53] Emma scowls, He frowns and looks down.
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[00:05:03.23] 'Charley, stop that. Why are you trying to do everything for me.' Charley's face fell. 'I was just trying to help. I felt bad that you couldn't go up the stairs. And I thought about all the other things you can't do.'
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[00:05:21.42] Her expression softens and she holds out an arm to him.
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[00:05:24.21] Suddenly Emma understood. Charley was trying to help, but he wasn't helping. He was making Emma feel small. Emma took a deep breath and said, 'No bodies are wrong. All bodies are right. We're all different colors, sizes, and heights. Yes, my body works differently. And I love being me because me is an awesome thing to be.'
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[00:05:56.50] She paints with her foot.
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[00:05:58.47] Charley sat down next to Emma. 'I know you're awesome, Emma, but you do have a disability, don't you? Having a disability doesn't mean my body is wrong. My body is just right. If I can get in the front door, the museum should change, not me. Don't feel bad for me because I can't do everything you can do. It's OK. Besides, no one can do everything other people can do. You can't do back handsprings like Hazel or skateboard like Porter.' 'That's true,' said Charley. 'I never thought of it that way.'
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[00:06:43.69] She uses her feet to get lunch and milk a cow.
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[00:06:46.69] 'I can do a lot of things by myself. And I'll ask you when I need help,' said Emma. 'I like driving my chair because I get to choose where I go. I like getting my own stuff because I am able to. Sometimes I like to do things just to show people I can like the time I milked the cow with my feet during our farm field trip. Farmer Joe almost fell off his milking stool.' 'Oh yeah, I remember that,' said Charley. Emma's friends all laughed. 'I'm sorry,' said Charley. 'I really was just trying to help.' 'It's OK.'
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[00:07:30.96] All students smile.
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[00:07:32.34] Emma looked at her sketchpad and her pencils and then smiled really big. 'I know how you can help.' Right there on the floor, Emma wrote a letter on her sketchpad. Everyone in the class signed the letter, even endless teacher. Then they handed the letter to one of the museum workers.
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[00:07:56.91] They give a woman the letter.
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[00:07:58.17] A few weeks later, Emma and her class received a letter.
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[00:08:03.08] An envelope.
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[00:08:03.93] 'Dear Emma and friends, thank you for your letter, asking us to make the front door of the museum accessible for everyone. You're right. We will start building a front door ramp right away. Thank you for teaching us that all bodies are right. From now on, our museum will be a place where all bodies are equally welcome.'
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[00:08:33.30] The students throw up their hands in the air.
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[00:08:36.15] Everyone in Emma's class cheered. Emma beamed.
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[00:08:41.61] All the students smile.
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[00:08:43.78] She felt awesome."
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[00:08:47.42] Nancy smiles and closes the book.
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[00:08:51.11] I hope you enjoyed the story, Awesomely Emma. Always remember that no one can do everything. And everyone comes with their own unique shapes, sizes, and abilities. And know that you are awesome. I look forward to sharing another story with you again real soon. Goodbye.
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[00:09:14.61] She smiles and waves. An illustration of a bookcase, a book open to a page with hearts, and a sign on the wall that reads Nancy's Book Corner.
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[00:09:15.68] [MUSIC PLAYING]
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