"123 for You and Me" by Meg Girnis is another book depicting a diverse group in literature. This book is a counting book that concentrates on children with Down Syndrome as they are photographed with a different number of objects on each page. I would consider Meg Girnis an insider to this topic because she has sister in law (that passed away in 1985) that had Downs Syndrome, and two children (one that has Down Syndrome and one that doesn't)as well. Both of her children are even pictured in this book on the "Seven Ducklings" page! What is great about the book is that while most of the children pictured do, in fact, have Down Syndrome, there are also many other children in the book that don't have Downs Syndrome. There are children of just about every ethnicity and culture as well. I really like how this book shows children of all diverse backgrounds featured in it with different objects. All the children appear to be having a great time as they are shown with fuzzy ducklings or presents or big hairy dogs. Like my other two books, this book also shows realistic photographs of the children which makes it easier for them to relate to the characters if compared to books with drawings or cartoons of children with the disability. Meg Girnis has also written another book as a conjunction with this book called, "ABC for You and Me". This book depicts children primarily with Down Syndrome with different letters of the alphabet. I really like the idea of depicting children with disabilities as characters in books like counting or letter books. Until I've researched this book, I've never seen a child with a disability portrayed in a resource book like this. I think it's great to depict children of all backgrounds in these types of resource books and I feel that it shows other children that children with disabilities can be relatable to them as well.
Girnis, Meg. 123 for You and Me. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Company, 2000.
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