Autorentext

Jayneen (aka Jay Dale) is an experienced primary school teacher, editor, author and publisher. She started her teaching career in the 1980s as a primary school teacher in rural Queensland. She then moved to Victoria and taught at a number of inner-city schools. In 1985, Jay had a change of career and became an educational editor and publisher. In the early 90s, Jay and her partner moved to Japan to work as English teachers. They lived and worked in Japan for over three and a half years. In fact, Jay's first daughter was born there. On returning to Australia, Jay began work as an educational author/packager. Since that time, she has authored and produced numerous award-winning titles for the educational publishing industry. Jay is also an accomplished children's book author, writing a number of titles for such literacy series as ZigZags, Totally Kidz, Deadly and Incredible, and a children's picture book series for Penguin. During 2008 and 2009, Jay returned to teaching. That experience refreshed her understanding of issues facing children, teachers and parents. She is currently working with an educational publisher as lead author of a new literacy series. Jay has written over 100 titles in that series. Jay is more importantly a mother of three teenage girls and has been a school councillor at her local primary school for over seven years. This time spent in primary schools both as a teacher and a parent inspired her to ask the question of her community: 'What are we doing in schools to protect our children from sexual interference?' When she realised very little was actually being done, she decided to use her authoring and publishing skills to write a book to help parents, carers and teachers to broach the subject of self-protection and to encourage children to speak up.

Klappentext

Meet six wonderful kids. They love playing games, reading books, making stuff, and being silly. And like kids everywhere, they want to feel safe, loved, and included. The reader is introduced to six amazing kids: Sam, Rishi, Jay, Audrey, Ty and Zara - each with unique abilities. 'Included' sets out to explore diversity and inclusion, and to ensure all kids understand that children with disability are just like kids everywhere - they have things they are good at and things they need to work on. And just like kids everywhere, they want to feel that they belong and that they matter. This book provides the reader with ways they can be more inclusive in their play and encourages the celebration of diversity in all its unique and wonderful forms. Children will come away with a growing understanding that people everywhere have differing abilities, and this only makes the world a more colourful, exciting, diverse and amazing place. Throughout the text, open-ended questions are provided so children can bring their own experiences to the narrative. Further Discussion Questions are included to spark important and thought-provoking conversations.