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Topsy + Tim make a new friend ISBN: 9781904351177
Adamson, Jean and Gareth
Published by Ladybird, 2003
Topsy and Tim meet a little girl in a wheelchair in the park. Her name is Jenny, and she's a whizz in her chair. The next Monday she turns up at school. Before she arrives, the teacher explains about disability, and the children talk about different ways of being disabled. When Andy teases about blindness, the teacher makes it plain that this is 'unkind'. Topsy and Tim show Jenny round the classroom and introduce her to the class hamster. Jenny participates fully in the school day, and we see the ramp she uses to get to the playground and the special toilet that has been provided for her use. We also learn that she can get in and out of her wheelchair on her own and the children applaud her effort. Didactic as Topsy and Tim are, they serve a real purpose, and this book is a useful tool in helping children accept disability.
Age: 4+