Books like Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah

Genre: Biography, picture bookRecommended Grade Levels: K-3Themes: Perseverance, empowerment, disabilitiesSummary: This is a true story about a boy named Emmanuel, who was born in a small village in Ghana, West Africa. Emmanuel was born with one healthy leg and one leg that did not work. Because of this, his father left and never came back. Emmanuel’s mother had faith in Emmanuel’s ability to do great things. She encouraged him to work hard to get everything he needed. So Emmanuel would hop around on one leg or use crutches. He was able to play soccer with his friends at school on crutches, and they taught him how to ride a bike as well. When Emmanuel’s mother becomes sick, Emmanuel leaves for the capitol of Accra to earn money for his family. At first he has trouble finding employment, as most people tell him to beg because he is disabled. Finally, he finds a job and works hard to send money back for two straight years. When his mother is deathly ill, Emmanuel comes home to see her one last time before he dies. Emmanuel feels that he needs to teach others that having a disability does not mean that a person can’t do anything, so he begins to ride around Ghana on a bicycle to spread awareness. He is incredibly successful, encouraging others with disabilities to come out and have faith in their abilities. Emmanuel becomes well-known across Ghana for his efforts. Personal Response: As my wife taught in the villages of Ghana and has told me many stories of the children there, this story had a very personal effect for me. Having a disability always presents some type of challenge, and in Ghana this challenge is almost always quite a hefty one. I am inspired by Emmanuel’s perseverance and strong work ethic, especially with only one working leg. Emmanuel’s story reminds me of my wife’s second year in Ghana, when she taught in the north. Sarah found a village where a large number of children were not allowed to go to school for various reasons. Most of these reasons had to do with some sort of disability, or the fact that they were female and expected to take care of their younger siblings instead of going to school. Believing that these children deserved an education too, Sarah worked with some like-minded people to build and open a school for any child, no matter what. Children were able to go to school no matter if they had one hand or two, and the girls could bring their baby siblings so they could learn while they played. These children soon learned the same lesson that Emmanuel championed for: disabilities or any sort of obstacles should not hold a person fully down or label them negatively! Note about illustrations:Sean Qualls illustrates this book using mixed media. His pictures have a collage-cartoon feel to them with round, smooth faces and simple black outlines for lips and noses. The illustrations do not include a plethora of extra details, but instead focus on what is most important to the story. The bold test is set right on top of the pictures, and the illustrations often wind around and in between the text. These pictures are not always fully in color; Qualls uses color and lack thereof powerfully in this book, once again helping the reader to focus in on the message of the story and the heart of the book. These pictures appeal to children with their cartoon-like feel and their simple, yet inviting appeal. Reader Response/Classroom Connections:After reading this book, students should engage in an open and honest discussion on disabilities and how people in today’s American society are treated with disabilities. What is set in place so that people with disabilities have the proper advocates? Is it enough? What is a disability, and what can a person do when he or she has one? Are disabilities limited to the physical? How can disabilities be obstacles, and how can society help individuals overcome these obstacles? After a thorough discussion, students should write a one-page reflection on their current stance on this important subject. This book can also serve as a starting point for students to engage in a STEM project where they are given a challenge and limited resources to find an answer to this challenge. Emmanuel had one leg, and yet he still found a way to persevere and ride a bike around Ghana, encouraging others to change their view on people with disabilities. Only having one leg did not stop him. Students will be given the task to design a contraption for a dog with only three legs. This contraption should help the dog transport himself in an efficient and smooth manner. Students will work together in groups, using a variety of materials found in the common household. After their projects are finished, the groups should share their inventions with the rest of the class. An application day where they try out their contraptions would be an excellent extension to this project!