Marcel with a Splash

Marcel with a Splash
by Julia Sørensen (Author / Illustrator) and Shelley Tanaka (Translator)
@ Amazon* | Bookshop*

Booktalk: When Marcel is born, the first thing the midwife notices is his webbed toes. Otherwise, he eats, he sleeps, he eats again, just like any baby. And then the doctors start to notice Marcel’s almond-shaped eyes, weak muscle tone and unusually shaped ears. They come to a conclusion: Marcel has Down syndrome. Marcel’s parents don’t know what to do with this medical terminology, so they bury it in the bottom of the garden, where it can grow in its own time and they can keep an eye on it.

But Marcel doesn’t care about words yet. He grows and learns, taking to life like a fish in water. In many ways, Marcel is just like any child. He loves to laugh, be silly with his friends and go swimming during summer vacation.

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Copyright © 2025 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved. (*bookstore affiliate)

We Are the Scrappy Ones

We Are the Scrappy Ones
by Rebekah Taussig (Author) and Kirbi Fagan (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop

Booktalk: In this free verse poem, children with disabilities experience the world in all kinds of ways. Yet one thing they share is navigating a world that doesn’t always make space for them as they are. Existing on the edges can feel unfair-and downright exhausting. And at the exact same time, it can also foster creativity, resourcefulness, and adaptability. In a word, scrappiness.

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Copyright © 2025 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved. (*bookstore affiliate)