Upbeat Children's Books

UPBEAT CHILDREN'S BOOKS

The Wishing Room, Inc. publishes upbeat children's books, most of which deal with, or have a main character with, a disability or disadvantage of some sort. They are listed in Bowker's Books in Print and may be ordered from any bookstore or ordered direct from the publisher (see Ordering Information). All prices listed are in United States dollars. S&H prices are for U.S. shipping addresses excluding Alaska & Hawaii. S&H to other locations will be computed appropriately.

Titles include:
A Child's Diary - 1930's, Johnson, Ages 5-15 (poverty, great recession)
An Adventure in Mouseland, Williams, Ages 4-10 (disobedience)
History Hunt at Cold Harbor, Cathcart, Ages 11 & up (learning disabled, visual)
Just For Me, Branch, Ages 9 and up (siblings, broken homes, blind, etc.)
The Memory Keep, Cathcart, Ages 10 & up (youth dealing with death of friend)
Shy Ann, Ball, Ages 5-11 (shyness)
There's A Blue Square On My Brother's School Bus , Craymer, Ages 5-12 (many types of disabilities)
Willy On Wheels, Howell, Ages 4-14 (crippled, blind)

Autobiography & other titles:
Blessings, Goodman, Ages 14 & up (Contemporary Christian songs, inspirational poems)
Bremner's Bulletins, Bremner, Ages 14 & up (news columns, was educator & minister)
The Girl on the Hill, Williams, Ages 16 & up (orphanage, abuse, rare disease, blessings)
How to Fail, Hasbin, Ages 14 & up (education, learning disabled, leadership)
Forthcoming titles:
Cynde's Christmas Gift, Beachy, ages 6-12 (Commercial glitter not required)
My Best Friend Has Diabetes, Phillips, Ages 8-12 (diabetes)
Purity's Problem, Liberté, Ages 5-11 (sexual abuse)

More children's books about disabilities

Go to Wishing Room Home Page ..... Go to Wish List

A CHILD'S DIARY - THE 1930'S by Hilda Shaver Johnson
ISBN 0-931563-02-X, Retail $3.95
Ages 5-15, Perfect bound, 59 pages, b/w illus., vocab.
Minimum Shp. & Hndg, $4.00 (up to 3 copies)

This is a true story of growing up without TV's, stereos, or designer jeans, but with rich experiences in a close family setting such as riding a horse to school, a brother's Christmas in the hospital, etc. This is a special glimpse into a period of history that may seem stranger than science fiction to most of today's youth.

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AN ADVENTURE IN MOUSELAND by Jill Williams
ISBN 0931563-10-0, Retail $3.95
Ages 4-12, Perfect bound, 54 pages, b/w illus., vocab.
Minimum Shp. & Hndg, $4.00 (up to 3 copies)

A whimsical story about a mouse family running a store for the animals using barter rather than money, and an unexpected escapade of over-weight Tom, one of the mousekin boys. Charmingly illustrated with line drawings, this book ends with a visual message that it is best to always tell the truth.

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HISTORY HUNT AT COLD HARBOR by Pamela B. Cathcart
Foreword by Michael J. Andrus Historian, Richmond National Battlefield Park
ISBN 0-931563-14-3 Perfect bound $6.95
ISBN 0-931563-15-1 Case bound $19.95
Ages 11 & up 95 pages, b/w illus., bibliog., notes, index
Min. Shp. & Hndg, $4.00 (up to 2 copies-soft) or $4.50 (ea-hard cover)

This historically accurate story turns a middle-school special assignment into a "detective story... a merry chase of wondrous discovery." The three main characters are an unlikely group. One boy has a learning disability, one boy is black and has poor vision, and the third student is a girl. Much more than just history is learned on this hunt...such as how to work together, the thrilling excitement of unexpected finds, etc. More Information

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JUST FOR ME
by Hazel F. Branch
ISBN 0-931563-04-6, Retail $3.95

Ages 9-15, Perfect bound, 55 pgs, b/w illus., index
Minimum Shp. & Hndg, $4.00 (up to 3 copies)

Too old for cartons, too young to drive is that in-between age known as adolescence. This collection of poems for this age group sensitively covers a wide range... various disabilities, broken families, death, peer- pressure, baby-sitting, maturing, loneliness, siblings, favorite things & friendship...to mention a few. Indexed by subject matter.

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SHY ANN
by Nancy Ball
ISBN 0-931563-03-8, Retail $3.95
Ages 5-11, Perfect bound, 55 pages, b/w illus., vocab.
Minimum Shp. & Hndg, $4.00 (up to 3 copies)
Ann is so shy that she won't make eye contact with anyone. Her parents entice Ann to willingly make the effort to overcome this disturbing disability. The book includes the words and melody line to the chorus of "Cheyenne (Shy Ann)", which was popular many years ago. A page by page vocabulary list is included as aide for teachers and home schooling parents.

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The Memory Keep by Pamela B. Cathcart
ISBN 0-931563-21-6, Retail $14.95
Ages 10 & up, Perfect bound, 98 pages, b/w illus.
Minimum Shp. & Hndg, $4.00 (up to 3 copies)

"Who makes these things happen?" This is the cry of a twelve-year-old student, Andy, while struggling with the death of his classroom aide. Fiction based on the true story of Elvis Gabriel Jimenez, the 22-year-old Hanover County special education teacher’s aide who met an untimely death in October of 2001, this book strives to bring meaning to tragic events. Educators and parents state that The Memory Keep should be required reading for all young people— an inspiring book that links generations through the timeless force of memory.

Learn More about this title
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THERE'S A BLUE SQUARE ON MY BROTHER'S SCHOOL BUS
by Sally Craymer
ISBN 0-931563-12-7, Retail $4.95
Ages 5-12, Perfect bound, 59 pages, color photos, and discussion guide.
Minimum Shp. & Hndg, $4.00 (up to 3 copies)
"There's a Blue Square on my Brother's School Bus" is a much needed book which explains different types of disabilities to children and what they may do to help. It promotes understanding which should minimize cruel taunting, and is illustrated with color photographs throughout. A list of discussion questions is included for teacher and/or parent use.

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WILLY ON WHEELS
by Sherry Howell
ISBN 0-931563-05-4, Retail $2.95
Ages 4-14, Perfect bound, 63 pages, b/w illustrations.
Minimum Shp. & Hndg, $4.00 (up to 3 copies) Willy, confined to a wheelchair, tries to make friends with the new boy next door who turns out to be hostile and blind. After another attempt, they become friends, then Willy begins to realize that what a person CAN do is far more important than what they can't do. Two more Willy stories also help the disabled child to feel better about him or her self, and help other children to understand rather than to tease or stare.

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BLESSINGS by Janice Goodman
ISBN 978-0-931563-25-9, Retail $14.95
Age 14 - adult, Paperback, 108 pages, illustrated.
Minimum Shpg & Hndlg. $4.50
Contemporary Christian music best describes the songs of which Janice Goodman is both the composer and author of the lyrics. Her songs are uplifting and her poetry, inspirational. "Blessings" includes the melody line with the lyrics of her songs, which in itself will be a blessing for church musicians looking for appropriate new songs for worship services.

BREMNER'S BULLETINS ...a wee sample by W. D. Bremner
ISBN 0-931563-13-5, Retail $12.95
Age 14 - adult, Perfect bound, 135 pages.
Minimum Shpg & Hng. $4.00 (up to 2 copies)
An interesting selection of columns and excerpts from nearly forty years of columns written for two weekly newspapers. The author was minister, public school principal, and farmer as well as scribe for the community. He was born in Scotland, raised in Canada, then lived in Virginia and Florida after finishing college. Was a friend of the late Douglas Southall Freeman, among other notables. The columns cover the years from 1919 to 1957.

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THE GIRL ON THE HILL by Mary Williams
ISBN 978-0-931563-24-9, Retail $14.95
Age 16 - adult, Paperback, 127 pages, illustrated.
Minimum Shpg & Hndlg. $4.50
Because she was taught to be quiet, there was much, especially about her early life, that she had never shared...not even with her own children. Since things that happened in her teens and even earlier influenced her life in so many ways, she felt the need to share her story. That story has become "The Girl on the Hill" published by Wish Book Press. This book shares many facts & feelings for the first time... before she goes.

HOW TO FAIL by Almost A. Hasbin
ISBN 0-931563-00-3, Retail $14.95
Age 14 - adult, Hard cover, 196 pages, illustrated.
Minimum Shpg & Hndlg. $4.50
An autobiography and other writings of Charles Everett Myers, Ph.D. This book begins in horse & buggy days, proceeds through years of teaching alternated with schooling, educational research, farming, and civic activities. Far from a failure, Dr. Myers had observed that, "Everyone fails many times for each success he achieves." The book includes much educational history made warm and personal.

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ORDERING INFORMATION

ORDER ONLINE (SECURE)

Please give the ISBN and title of each book, the number of copies, your phone number starting with the area code, address including the zip code, and also the shipping address, if different. Enclose a check, money order or credit card* information (card #, expiration date, & signature) for the total amount including shipping & handling. (VA residents must also add sales tax)
All price listed are in United States dollars.
Mail orders to: The Wishing Room, Inc., P.O. Box 58, Studley, VA 23162
* Major credit cards and Purchase Orders also accepted by fax
(804) 559-4669 Richmond area (Fax only)

Click here to open a printable form to fax or mail.