Did you know that April is National Deaf History Month in the United States? I wasn’t aware of that until I was introduced to this beautiful new book, Sky, the Deaf Home Run Hero.
Deaf History Month is a time to raise awareness about the deaf community and their struggles in our society.
If this is a topic you’d like to highlight in your classroom (and I hope you do!) or you’re the parent of a deaf child, then I think you’re going to love this new book.
Sky, the Deaf Home Run Hero: A Lesson in Courage
Written by Mickey Carolan
Illustrated by Adisa Fazlovic
Third Culture Books (April 30, 2023)
38 Pages
Suitable for ages 3-8
Synopsis
(From Amazon)
A deaf boy’s baseball superpower gives him courage to turn bullies into friends in a heartwarming picture book.
Young Sky is a boy who was born deaf, but it doesn’t stop him from doing what he loves most: playing baseball. Eager and determined, he works hard on his skills until he notices that, swing after swing, every ball is hit, soaring out of the ballpark like an eagle…Sky has a superpower! Not hearing enables him to focus on the ball and hit home runs with ease. But when the bullies try to bring him down, baseball gives him the courage to face them and win them over, and “with every home run, a bully becomes a friend.”
Opening Lines
This is Sky. Sky was born deaf. He loved playing baseball and being deaf didn’t stop him from doing what he loved the most.
Why I Loved Sky, the Deaf Home Run Hero
First off, the illustrations are so appealing that you want to jump right in and immerse yourself in the cheerful colours.
But more importantly, it’s a very well written book with a wonderful message about perseverance, courage and how to deal with bullies. And it does all that in a kid-friendly way, without being the least bit moralizing!
I especially like Sky’s superpower: the ability to really focus on the ball without the noisy distractions other players experience. This superpower is what gives him the ability to hit home runs right out of the ball park.
I also love that he’s brave enough to stand up to bullies, not just for himself, but also on behalf of his younger brothers.
I strongly recommend this book! In the author’s words, the book “offers a chance to learn more about what it’s like to be deaf and to gain empathy for those who are.”
Book-Related Activities
The author has made this really easy for me because he has activities in the back of his book and also on his website.
- A free colouring sheet of Sky playing baseball (on Mickey’s website)
- Five “Batter Up” activities at the back of the book called Courage Crew, The Sky’s the Limit, Antibully Box, My Super Power, and Take a Stand
- Share My Lesson has a wonderful list of pdfs and plans you can use in your classroom to help raise awareness about the deaf community. You need to sign up but everything is free!
If you’d like to pre-order this book (it’s officially on sale April 30, 2023) you can find it at Amazon (affiliate link) or the author’s website.
If you’re looking for more books with a social-emotion theme, I have LOTS.
Thank you for reading!
