The world we can build by Eliza Hull, Sally Rippin & Daniel Gray-Barnett

A positive story about building something that will suit people of different abilities is offered in this cheery picture book co-written by Hull and Ripping and illustrated by Gray-Barnett, with lots of practical applications and pragmatic solutions born out of the needs of the children involved.

When Sam asks Carla around to his house to see this mother, he is embarrassed when he remembers that Carla will not be able to climb the steps at the entrance. They decide to go to the park instead, but realise that the park, like the school playground does not accomodate them: one in a wheelchair and other a friend who wants to play with her. Both are excluded. Together they decide to design a more inclusive playground and set about drawing one that includes ramps, levers and springs. 

So they set about making changes to their playgrounds and the illustrations takes the readers into the wider world, showing changes that can be made in the streets or in halls, apartment buildings and shops, to enable all to be included, not just some.

Children will delight in the illustrations of the changes being made recognising some that have been achieved in their school or local community, in their parks and gardens, local shops and theatres. They will be aware of the differences these make to everyone’s participation and will be able to point these out.

The detail will attract their notice as they compare the things drawn to those they see, and question why a few things are still out of bounds for some people. A page of information is given at the beginning of the book about how the book came to be written, and at the end of the story is a page of information about Eliza Hull with ideas about including different abilities in the classroom.  

Themes: Disability, Wheelchairs, Inclusivity, Schools, Parks and gardens, Community spaces.

Fran Knight