Hearing loss is an uncommon disability with complex and far-reaching

implications. Even a mild degree of hearing loss can affect a child

academically, socially and emotionally. Its impact can often be minimized or

forgotten by others when a child appears to be keeping up most of the time

and has speech that is understood easily.

It is particularly important to promote acceptance, encourage friendships

and explore hearing loss on a basic level with young children. This sharing

of information and regular, honest dialogue will better equip children to

welcome a child with hearing loss into their school community.

Stories are a natural way to engage children in this discussion, but there

are few that depict children with hearing loss who understand others by

listening with their hearing aids or cochlear implant and who communicate by

talking. To help fill this void, The Mainstream Center at Clarke School for

the Deaf / Center for Oral Education has published "Friends, Like You," an

early education kit designed to teach hearing children, on a basic level,

about hearing loss and ways that can help them communicate successfully with

a classmate, friend or family member who is deaf or hard-of-hearing.

"Friends, Like You" introduces Molly and Max, two children with hearing

loss, with an emphasis on who they are as children first - their interests,

talents and their dreams for the future. Then, readers begin to learn about

the special devices and communication strategies that help Molly and Max at

home and at school. Listening can be hard work and misunderstandings happen

sometimes, but they don't let their hearing loss stop them from making

friends and having fun!

Parents who have discovered Friends, Like You tell us that it helps them

talk as a family about hearing loss, as well as enlighten their children's

teachers and peers:

"I have twins, one of whom wears bilateral cochlear implants. It was so

great to watch his reaction to seeing another CI kid in a book! They learn

about almost everything through books, yet there was never anything out

there to address this major part of his life. It made talking about Cis and

how my son is not the only one out there much easier."

- Tracy Thomas Boland, parent

"Our two children, both hard-of-hearing and attending mainstream school,

were excited to share this book with their class. They read the book to us

at home and then read it at school to their class. It allowed the teacher

and students to discuss hearing loss in more general terms without having

the focus solely on our children. The story itself did a great job of

explaining some of the challenges that hard-of-hearing and deaf children

encounter in social situations. The book was well written for elementary

school-aged children and was nicely illustrated as well. Thank you so much

for writing such a great book!

                                     - Donna Carroll, parent

More details about "Friends, Like You".

.     Most appropriate for students in grades 2-4.

.     Includes a 32-page, full-color children's book, an educator's guide

and a children's activity book.

.     Additional sets of 30 activity books are available, making them

ideal for use with an entire class.

.     A perfect fit with elementary health curriculum standards.

.     A great addition to classroom and school libraries!

To see samples and order "Friends, Like You":

           http://www.clarkeschool.org/content/mainstream/products.php