21 Children’s Books to Celebrate World Down Syndrome Day

By Eliana Tardio | March 20th, 2013 at 1:01 pm

The purpose of World Down Syndrome Day is to raise awareness about the condition among the general population. And what better place to start than with kids? These 21 books are great tools for explaining to typical kids about their peers with Down syndrome and special needs, and they all do so with friendly approachable language that kids will appreciate.

Many kids might have questions and concerns when they encounter a child who may look, talk or act different from them, or who may even break the rules that they have been taught to follow and respect. These books can help children understand that some kids take longer to learn and absorb the same stuff, and they help typical kids appreciate that we are all different and unique. They emphasize the importance of accepting and supporting others by celebrating their abilities, instead of pointing out their differences.

Educating your children about kids with special needs not only creates opportunities of inclusion for children with disabilities, but also helps your children learn to live a life free of prejudice, by discovering the gifts that we all have to offer.

Remember, we are all more alike than different.

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  Taking Down Syndrome to School

  (Special Kids in School) by Jenna Glatzer, Karen Schader and Tom Dineen (Feb 19, 2002)
  
  Get it here, $12.95

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#taking-down-syndrome-to-school
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  We'll Paint the Octopus Red

  by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen and Pam Devito (Aug 1998)
  
  Get it here, $15.95

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#well-paint-the-octopus-red
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  I Can, Can You?

  by Marjorie W. Pitzer (Jun 1, 2004)
  
  Get it here, $10.95

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  My Friend Isabelle

  Eliza Woloson (Author), Bryan Gough (Illustrator)
  
  Get it here, $14.95

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#my-friend-isabelle
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  Be Good to Eddie Lee

  Virginia Fleming (Author)
  
  Get it here, $6.99

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  In My World: Down Syndrome

  by Tiziana Vazquez & Gabriella Llano
  
  Get it here, $23.99

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#in-my-world-down-syndrome
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  Why Are You Looking At Me?: I Just Have Down syndrome

  by Lisa Tompkins
  
  Get it here, $19.99

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#why-are-you-looking-at-me-i-just-have-down-syndrome
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  Common Threads: Celebrating Life with Down Syndrome

  by Cynthia Kidder & Brian Skotko
  
  Get it here, $22.95

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#common-threads-celebrating-life-with-down-syndrome
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  My Up & Down & All Around Book

  Marjorie Pitzer M.Ed. (Author), Marjorie Pitzer (Illustrator)
  
  Get it here, $10.95

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#my-up-down-all-around-book
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  Kids Like Me...Learn ABCs

  Laura Ronay (Author), Jon Wayne Kishimoto (Illustrator)
  
  Get it here, $12.95

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#kids-like-me-learn-abcs
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  Kids Like Me...Learn Colors

  Laura Ronay (Author), Jon Wayne Kishimoto (Illustrator)
  
  Get it here, $11.95

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#kids-like-me-learn-colors
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  Don't Call Me Special: A First Look at Disability

  Pat Thomas (Author), Lesley Harker (Illustrator)
  
  Get it here, $7.99

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#dont-call-me-special-a-first-look-at-disability
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  What I Like About Me!

  Allia Zobel Nolan (Author), Miki Sakamoto (Illustrator)
  
  Get it here, $6.99

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#what-i-like-about-me
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  A Rainbow of Friends

  P. K. Hallinan (Author)
  
  Get it here, $4.99

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#a-rainbow-of-friends
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  We're Different, We're the Same (Sesame Street) (Pictureback(R)

  Bobbi Kates (Author), Joe Mathieu (Illustrator)
  
  Get it here, $3.99

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#were-different-were-the-same-sesame-street-picturebackr
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  It's Okay To Be Different

  Todd Parr (Author)
  
  Get it here, $6.99

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#its-okay-to-be-different
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  My Friend Has Down Syndrome

  Jennifer Moore-Mallinos (Author), Marta Fabrega (Illustrator)
  
  Get it here, $7.99

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#my-friend-has-down-syndrome
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  Our Brother Has Down's Syndrome: An Introduction for Children

  Shelley Cairo (Author), Jasmine Cairo (Author), Irene McNeil (Photographer)
  
  Get it here, $15.95

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#our-brother-has-downs-syndrome-an-introduction-for-children
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  I Know Someone with Down Syndrome

  Vic Parker (Author)
  
  Get it here, $7.99

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#i-know-someone-with-down-syndrome
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  Princess Jaycee: The Little Princess with Down Syndrome

  by Mrs. Alessia Russell (Author), Shawna Windom (Narrator)
  
  Get it here, $6.99

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#princess-jaycee-the-little-princess-with-down-syndrome
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  Special People, Special Ways

  Arlene Maguire (Author), Sheila Bailey (Illustrator)
  
  Get it here, $14.95

  /babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/2013/03/20/21-childrens-books-to-celebrate-world-down-syndrome-day/#special-people-special-ways

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