Katie Can

by Erin Palmer, John Joseph (Illustrations)

Katie has Down Syndrome, but that's not what makes her so special. Find out what makes Katie unique. This title focuses on sight words, decoding, and retelling.

Genres: Disability, Picture Books, Fiction, Family, School, Childrens

24 pages, ebook

Published July 1, 2018

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's always great to see books on the subject of Down syndrome, but this one felt a little hollow and forgettable to me. Granted, it's for very young readers, but there are other (in my opinion) much better books for children to read about Down syndrome (one being We'll Paint the Octopus Red). There was also a line that bothered me, as it seemed to reinforce a stereotype about people with DS, but it's possible I was reading too far into it. This would still be a nice book for families and classrooms to have on their shelves.

[olivia toko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie Can is such a great book to have in a little ones library. The book is short and simple for all ages to understand. Katie has down syndrome and the book discusses Katie's resilience through everything. The book discusses Katie's differences but also discusses her similarities to other children. Katie is friendly and loves school. If Katie is not successful at something the first time she always tries again. The book is great to introduce to children at a young age as it discusses the topic of being different is great. I would recommend this book as a conversation starter for both parents and teachers!

[Jessekah Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Katie Can" is a book about a little girl with Down Syndrome conquering the world, and finding the beauty in tenacity. It shows Katie going to school, being friendly with her community and interacting positively with her parents. I would recommend this book to parents with children who have exceptionalities, as well as those without. The reason for this is because the book is written simply enough for any child to digest the message, and it exposes neurotypical children to people different than themselves. Katie can do anything she sets her mind do, and she will be able to inspire any children reading the book to do the same. I would suggest this book for the parents to read, as well as ages 3-4 to read along with them. It may be a bit too simple for Kindergarten aged children, but you could give it a try and include them on the reading fun as well. It is a great read before bedtime!

[Abbigail Stephens (EDCU 378) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Text-to Teaching Connection:

This short and sweet book features a little girl named Katie who has Down Syndrome. It is so important to introduce children to diversity in this way so that they learn to celebrate differences instead of fearing them. This could open the door for a rich classroom discussion about people with disabilities. It would also be a great time to have a guest speaker come in and speak about disabilities to the children.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie Can by Erin Palmer is a book about Katie who has Down syndrome, she is friendly to everyone, loves school, works hard, but she has a hard time learning new things because of her disability. However, Katie is persistent and believes she can do anything she puts her mind to! She does not let Down syndrome tear her down, she says it makes her special and unique. I love how heartwarming this book made me feel because of how happy she was and showed perseverance even in times where things got tough or difficult for her. This is a great book and resource to use with gifted students to show them that they are unique and to always push through in tough situations. I also think special education teachers would love to read this story to their students to teach his or her students to always believe in themselves and to recognize how special they are. I love Katie's positive attitude and how determined she was to write the word " Dog" on the board. If you are a special education teacher or have gifted students, you will love this story because of how uplifting it is and the positive message that Erin Palmer spreads. The illustrations in the book are bright and colorful to represent Katie's happiness and positive attitude.

[Annah Neumire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book about how Katie can do anything, including being happy in her own skin! Katie is a little girl who happened to have down-syndrome. Some may think that she would not be able to do many things, but she can! She is determined to learn how to do anything she puts her mind to. Most importantly, she is comfortable and confident being herself, which is an idea many children need to be aware of.
I would absolutely read this book to my future students because it gives an awesome representation of children who have down syndrome. It also teaches children that just because someone has down syndrome, it does not mean they are limited. They can be capable of many things! Hopefully, this book will inspire children to help their peers who may have this syndrome to learn new things!
The illustrations in this book are awesome! They are very detailed and animated. They show each step of what Katie does throughout the book. Doing this allows young readers to visualize what the words are saying.

[Shay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie is always friendly to everyone, she loves school, and she works hard! Sometimes things are harder for Katie because she has a disability called down syndrome. Sometimes when Katie cant do something, she tries again and again until she finally gets it right. When she finally gets it right her parents are so proud of her! Katie doesn't let her down syndrome get in the way of her life. She is very happy to be herself and will continue to be herself forever on.
I gave this book four stars because I think it would be a great resource to utilize in a classroom setting. For example, students who are inexperienced with being around other students who have down syndrome could be introduced to the topic by eading this book. I did not give this book five stars because I feel like it held back some information that is important to the topic. I would have liked the book to be a little longer and more in depth.

[Nakya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This children’s picture book is a wonderful one to have in children’s classrooms. One of the most important features of this book would be the theme. Katie is a child in a classroom just like everyone else and while it may be hard for her to learn new things, she keeps trying. The theme of perseverance is important for young children to learn because it shows that even if you don’t achieve something the first time, you should keep working hard and trying. Katie Can is a book that will promote personal connection in young children. Children with Down syndrome are not often represented in books, so this will allow children who may have a disability to feel connected and welcome in the classroom. Lastly, the coherence of the book is important to note because Katie achieves what she sets her mind to at the end of the story. The fact that Katie may struggle with a certain task at the beginning, but works hard and achieves it, in the end, makes the book feel complete and coherent.

[Prachi · Rating 1 out of 5]

1/5

Book about a girl names Katie that has down syndrome. She is portrayed as a nice, hardworking and persevering kid. It is a super simple book with a sentence a page. She is shown to go to school, that her parents are proud of her, and that she is happy to be her.

This is a cute book but there is a lack of essence. I understand that this book is for extremely young readers however it does not give any information on down syndrome or even what a disability. This book underplays how much young children can understand. young children are like sponges and suck in information that is given to them. With the right guidance a young reader can understand the significance of disability and even help them understand their peers better.

This book unsuccessfully tries to break down an extremely complex subject, in my opinion it is oversimplified and does not present the seriousness of disabilities and how they play a part in the kids lives as well as their families.

[Annsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book that has a target audience of about kindergarten to first grade I think it does a great job of introducing a complex topic to a young age group. This book exhibits how a disability like down syndrome does not mean that the individual won't be able to what all the other kids are doing. In fact this book sets its focus on all that Katie can do, like implied in the title. While it does not go into depth as to what down syndrome is, I do not think it effects the quality of the book again because of the target audience. I think this could be a great way to introduce to kids what some disabilities are and reinforce the sentiment that just because we are different that doesn't mean we can't accomplish similar goals.

[Shayanna Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Katie has a disability called Down Syndrome. She finds it hard to do things sometimes, but it does not keep her from trying to accomplish things anyway. Katie works hard at school she loves everything about herself. This book was a little short, maybe a good book for kindergarten because it's not long enough for them to lose track of the events. It also teaches basic principles like working hard and loving yourself. The illustration was great and the wording was pretty easy to understand. I would probably wish that more was said about what Down syndrome is and how it could affect a person. I enjoyed how the illustration showed the reinforcement of accolades given by the teacher and Katie's family when she completed a task.

[Brandon Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book “Katie Can a Story About Special Needs”bis an excellent read. This book was written by Erin Palmer and one of five books in the series “Changes and Challanges in My Life.” The book is an excellent read that focuses on acceptance, perseverance, family support and disabilities. This book is about an elementary school age girl with down syndrome who is discovering the uniqueness of disability. The story chronicles Katie’s experiences and her dedication to excelling despite her disability, the love she has for her family and how conquers daily obstacles with a positive attitude. The book has captivating illustrations which make it a great read for younger children. I would suggest this book to educators and parents.

[Karish Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie Can is a great book to introduce special needs to small children. Katie has down syndrome, and she have a harder time learning. That does not stop Katie she still tries and succeed. Children without a disability struggle and Katie teaches them to keep trying and do not give up. Katie is happy of who she is and does not want to change herself. I love how that every child is different, and they should their self no matter what people may think. I would recommend this book to preschoolers. It’s a great way for them to see how other children all the do not look or learn the same way. It ‘s also a great book for children with disabilities.

[Carolina Combetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to add to your children's library. It is a short and easy to read for younger children. This is a story of a little girl named Katie who has down syndrome. Because Katie has down syndrome, it can be hard for her to try new things. Even though it is hard for her to try new things, she still tries. She is determined and does not her disability stop her. The book talks about how she is same and different from other children. Although she is not like the rest of her peers or family, she is proud of herself. This book could be used to teach children that everyone is different.

[Sarah Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the sweet story of a young girl named Katie and how she tackles everything the world throws at her with a positive attitude, no matter how her down syndrome impacts her. Katie’s attitude and willingness to always do it again and never give up is inspiring for any reader, regardless of her down syndrome. The book offers a positive and needed light on children like Katie and shows everyone how with perseverance Katie and others can truly do anything. Though it is a short story, it still is sure to make readers feel the impact of Katie’s positivity. A great book to have on the shelves of a class library or in your own home to spread an impactful and positive message.

[Jill Moss]

This book is about a girl named Katie who has down syndrome. It shows all the different ways Katie can do things just like others do. It shows her working very hard and being friendly. It puts having Down syndrome in such a positive light and encourages children with special needs to understand they can do anything! I would use this in the classroom when I have a student with a disability or just to show others that people with disabilities can do anything just like they can.

[Julie Ditton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This early reader is a simple story about Katie, who happens to have Down Syndrome. It shows Katie as a friendly kid who goes to school just like other kids. It mentions that it is hard for Katie to learn things, but that she keeps trying. The book does not go into depth about Down Syndrome. the aim is to show that kids may have disabilities, but they are are otherwise just like the other kids. It emphasises, not what Katie can't do but what "Katie Can".

[Caontie McNeal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not long at all, but is a good read because it shows how Katie the little girl in the story has Down syndrome and is very persistent. Let’s the reader and listeners know she is the same as other little children but different in some ways. Katie is so friendly she likes school and speaks to everyone she comes in contact with.

[Erika Menefee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie can is a book about a little girl with Down syndrome doing wonderful things in the world and finding beauty in doing so. It talks about Katie Katie excelling in school, doing good in the community and being a good child to her parents. I recommend this book for not only parents of special needs but all kids.

[Tori Crews]

This is a really good book for children because of the message that it sends. It shows students that everyone is unique in their own way and they should embrace it. Katie is a little girl that has Down Syndrome but she does not let this affect her life. She stays happy and does whatever makes her happy and embraces herself.

[Carol Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of this book. This is my granddaughter (who has special needs) favorite book!!! She will sit with this book as well as the 3 others in the series and talk about each page and what is happening. Katie bears a striking resemblance to her, down to the pink glasses which is a bonus too! She is on her 4th copy since it is sooo well loved!

[Ma. Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this book is basically about how Katie, a girl with down syndrome is seen doing things that everyone can do such as writing. It's a great disability awareness book to share with a class and the book seems to. be more interactive to the reader .

[Connor S Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book as it helps to represent an under represented community in children books. My uncle has special needs so I has always had an affinity with this community so it was great to see a book representing them.

[Sirah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Watch Katie do some stuff during her day.

While I appreciate the message of this book, and I understand it's trying to be an easy reader, I was pretty disappointed with the plot and development in this book.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great and easy book about a young girl with down syndrome headed to school and going through her say with a great attitutude. Preschool and up

[Katie Cromwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! such a sweet message and I have never seen a book written about someone with Down syndrome before so I was very excited to read it. Also love her name, ahah!

[Makenna Rojas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is talking about Katie, who has Down syndrome. She is a very happy girl who loves school and touches on what it's like having a disability. I would definitely read this to my class!

[MaryAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple book. Simple story. Simple illustrations. Although Katie has Down Syndrome it is only a piece of who she is.

[Allison Winger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this story and I definitely want it in my classroom library. Reading this would be a great way to expose young neurotypical children to people who are different than them. Also teaches students that you can do anything you put your mind to.

[Alyssa Victoriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really great for children to learn that everyone is different in their own way and should be embraced and loved. Katie is a little girl who has Down syndrome that does not let her difference affect her life. She embraces her difference and does anything and everything that makes her happy. The title really has a big meaning about it, “Katie Can,” because Katie can in fact do it just like everyone else.