I Am Not a Label: 34 disabled artists, thinkers, athletes and activists from past and present

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In this stylishly illustrated biography anthology, meet 30 artists, thinkers, athletes and activists with disabilities, from past and present. From Frida Kahlo to Stephen Hawking, find out how these iconic figures have overcome obstacles, owned their differences and paved the way for others by making their bodies and minds work for them. These short biographies tell the stories of people who have faced unique challenges which have not stopped them from becoming trailblazers, innovators, advocates and makers. Each person is a leading figure in their field, be it sport, science, maths, art, breakdance or the world of pop. From the famous to the less well-known, and from the past to the contemporary, it’s a wonderfully eclectic range of stories, each introduced with humour and heart. Each biographical account focusses on the individual’s unique experience, reminding us of the diverse spectrum encompassed by the word ‘disability’. Along with the likes Beethoven, Helen Keller and Stephen Hawking, it also introduces less familiar stories such as Lady Gaga’s life with fibromyalgia, Lil Wayne’s epilepsy and Dynamo’s experience of Crohn’s disease. Can delinquents change and turn over a new leaf? Gary’s story is an example of not only the possibility of transformation, but of drawing on past mistakes to fortify one’s attitude and dreams of a better society.

I Am Not a Label by Cerrie Burnell, Lauren Mark Baldo

The first word that springs to mind upon opening I Am Not A Label is: ‘finally’. What a delight to find a book brimming with deaf and disabled role models who are the star of each story. This book is overdue, and it’s fantastically written and curated, hitting the mark for a mind-opening and world-expanding read for children, young people and adults, too. But all in all, I really did enjoy this book, it is gorgeously illustrated with a wonderful portrait of the person on one side and their story on the other side. As I said, I learned about new people and their things. I would recommend this one.hour ago Mental Health & Pollution: Research Clarifies Connection Are there any proven links between exposure to pollution and mental health problems? Peter Dinklage, Wanda Diaz Merced, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, Dr Victor Pineda, Farida Bedwei, Stella Young, Lady Gaga, Arunima Sinha, Naoki Higashida, Isabella Spingmuhl Tejada, Aaron Philip, Catalina Devandas Aguilar, Redouan Ait Chitt, Jonas Jacobsson, Trischa Zorn, Ade Adepitan, and Dynamo.

I Am Not A Label | BookTrust

I Am Not A Label is an anthology of stories aimed at older children, exploring the lives of 34 “disabled artists, thinkers, athletes and activists from past and present”, published by Wide Eyed Editions. In this stylishly illustrated biography anthology, meet 34artists, thinkers, athletes and activists with disabilities, from past and present. From Frida Kahlo to Stephen Hawking, find out how these iconic figures have overcome obstacles, owned their differences and paved the way for others by making their bodies and minds work for them. I am honoured to have been part of Gary's life journey. I am sure that reading his memoirs, especially his quest at ITE, will be an inspiration to many. This is an anthology of tales about disabled artists, athletes, activists, thinkers, writers, performers and dreamers, finding joy, normality andwonder in a world that deems us ‘different’ (as though it is something bad). In this book I have choose to use what is called identity-firstlanguage, which means I say 'disabled person' instead of 'a person with a disability'. Neither is wrong, or offensive, but it is importantto remember that people are disabled by society and do not need to be fixed. If there are any words in the book that you’re not sureabout, there is a glossary at the end to help. Each person in this book has led or continues to lead a fascinatinglife, often overcoming misconceptions and prejudice to do so. I hopeyou will love reading their stories. I hope they will show you that weare all more than just a label, and that whoever you are, disabled or not, there are no limits to your dreams.This book is marketed toward young readers, which I think is excellent. Though I would not say that teenagers are the only ones who would benefit from reading this, I will say that they are the ones who deserve to benefit the most. I would highly recommend reading this book and recommending it to others.

I Am Not A Label: addressing stories of disability I Am Not A Label: addressing stories of disability

This is a non-fiction, anthology-esque collection of people who had disabilities and did great things. Sometimes they did art or sports, or sometimes they just did truly miraculous feats. There will be some you know about, like Beethoven and Terry Fox (Yay Canada, represent!), and some you might not, like Henri Matisse (I was not aware of his disabilities but did know about his art). Their stories are told in a whimsical and fun way too, which is why this book really stood out to me. It felt way more fun than your typical non-fiction book. Intelligent, politically bold, and beautiful to browse [...] Every bookshelf needs a copy."— Disability Arts Online We learn about all types of disabilities, whether they are visible or hidden like being blind like Stevie Wonder, having autism like Temple Grandin and having spina bifida like Catalina Devantas.

Cerrie Burnell Press Reviews

Maybe chic and dazzling are good adjectives for what Lauren Mark Baldo's illustrations are, because in addition to pulling to the more realistic side (it's not photo level, but it is very clear who the illustration is about), the composition for each person it is rich in references of the profession (computers, music, etc.) and everything is very colorful. Writing non-fiction was a completely different process and though more time consuming in terms of research, really exciting and quite humbling, in terms of learning about peoples’ lives and then trying to tell their stories in the most succinct and eloquent way. Is there enough diverse representation of disability in books for children and young people? Why is it important that children’s literature (including nonfiction) is as inclusive as possible? If you're looking to learn, grab this book! It's a great collection of facts and stories that also have absolutely beautiful illustrations to go along with them.

I Am Not A Label | KS2 diversity books | Teachit I Am Not A Label | KS2 diversity books | Teachit

Illness also creates disability, like Henri Matisse's cancer that caused him to fins a new way of doing art, resulting in some of his most beloved works. Every library needs this book, for those who feel alienated by their disability, and for those who need to understand that disabled people are not so different, and in fact, may be remarkable. In 2011, Cerrie was named in the Observer’s top ten children’s presenters and in the Guardian’s list of 100 most inspirational women. Cerrie is author in residence for Great Ormond Street hospital and a patron of Polka children’s theatre. But, I would have loved to see maybe another person with autism. Now you got two people with autism who couldn’t speak/had issues with talking. And autism is more than that. I already have to explain to people as an autist that no, autism isn’t rain man. No autism doesn’t mean I am emotionless robot or don’t get feelings. No autism doesn’t mean, insert something else. So it would have been fun/better if they had shown one or two other sides to autism. As autism is a very broad thing and we need to show people that. I came across this book in one of my libraries and just had to bring it along with me because it looked SO good. I was curious about the various people mentioned, would I recognise them or not?In this stylishly illustrated biography anthology, meet 34 artists, thinkers, athletes, and activists with disabilities, from past and present. From Frida Kahlo to Stephen Hawking, find out how these iconic figures have overcome obstacles, owned their differences, and paved the way for others by making their bodies and minds work for them.