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Early Childhood Education (EARL)

This guide is intended for students in the Early Childhood Education program. It will help you locate children's picture books in the Library collection, and conduct research using our online databases.

About the Schneider Family Book Award

The Schneider Family Book Awards are given to an author or illustrator for a book that represents the experiences of the one out of seven Americans who have an emotional, mental, or physical disability.  The name of the award is repeated in Braille at the bottom of the seal.  It was first presented in 2004, and the first Honor books were chosen in 2019.

Learn more about the Schneider Family Book Award.

"Children" are defined by the awards committee as anyone up to age 14, so many Schneider winning and honor books are not picture books.

Schneider Family Award Medal & Honor Picture Books

Rescue and Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship

Author: Jessica Kensky, Patrick Downes; Scott Magoon (Illustrator)
Published: 2018
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"When he is paired with a girl who has lost her legs, Rescue worries that he isn't up to the task of being her service dog"--Publisher's description.

Six Dots: a Story of Young Louis Braille

Author: Jen Bryant; Boris Kulikov (Illustrator)
Published: 2016
Location: Bethlehem
"Louis Braille was just five years old when he lost his sight... What he wanted more than anything was to be able to read. And so he invented his own alphabet -- a whole new system for writing that could be read by touch. A system so ingenious that it is still used by the blind community today"--Publisher's description.

A Boy and a Jaguar

Author: Alan Rabinowitz; Catia Chien (Illustrator)
Published: 2014
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"The renowned cat conservationist reflects on his early childhood struggles with a speech disorder, describing how he only spoke fluently when he was communicating with animals and how he resolved at a young age to find his voice to be their advocate"--Publisher's description.

A Splash of Red: the Life and Art of Horace Pippin

Author: Jen Bryant; Melissa Sweet (Illustrator)
Published: 2013
Location: Bethlehem
"Presents an illustrated introduction to the life and work of artist Horace Pippin, describing his childhood love for drawing and the World War I injury that challenged his career"--Publisher's description.