Maisy and Daisy Move House by Michelle de Robillard, illustrated by Amanda Letcher

Title: Maisy and Daisy Move House

Author: Michelle de Robillard, illustrated by Amanda Letcher

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Berry Bee Publishing

Published: 17^th April 2024

Format: Paperback

Pages: 36

Price: $25.95

Synopsis: Maisy and Daisy Move House is a delightful picture book that explores the universal experience of moving house for a young girl, Maisy, who is disabled and uses a wheelchair, she calls Daisy.

The debut children’s picture book of author Michelle De Robillard, mother and Physiotherapist, uses inclusive rhyming text to authentically explore the young girl, Maisy, and her wheelchair, Daisy’s emotions as they navigate accessibility obstacles in their new home.

While to some, this might not be a very big deal, when your moving on wheels, it’s a challenge that is real.

Featuring a gorgeous cover and bright illustrations, this is a must-read for all families.

– The perfect book to start a conversation about disability, inclusion and accessibility with parents, care-givers, teachers and children.

– Inclusive text normalizes rather than emphasizes Maisy’s need to overcome accessibility barriers experienced when moving homes or going to a new house.

– The bouncy rhyming text is a joy to read out loud.

– One big step to raise inclusive children is to read books with disability representation, which can be used to promote inclusion and the need for accessibility for homes.

– For kids ages 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, and grades K to 3.

~*~

One of the most universal experiences a child, or anyone can have, is moving house. For a child who uses a wheelchair, like Maisy, this can come with its own challenges and benefits. Maisy is excited to be moving house – it means more room to move around, and better spaces. But, Maisy is disappointed when she finds stairs at the front and back – without help or a ramp, she can’t use them. Daisy lives in a world that isn’t wholly accessible, like many disabled people. Daisy and her family are the ones who must find solutions and make their world accessible, rather than the world making the effort to be accessible to them.

Living a world with stairs and finding a way around accessibility obstacles is something that many people don’t think about. They don’t have to, because being disabled and needing to find a way to adapt to the world, to fit in with an inaccessible world, or learn to make their micro world fit them. Because the world already fits them. Many people don’t have to and often don’t think about how a stair or two prohibits wheelchair uses from accessing a premise or a business. How an uneven footpath can be a hazard for people with mobility issues, who might use a wheelchair or a Guide Dog. Or how a damaged footpath can make it hard for disabled people to navigate – whatever their disability is.

In recent years, there has been a boon in books that have been representing disability, particularly for younger readers. They’re filled with positive representations of disability and neurodivergence that sing and dance off the page. They show people that a disabled person is just as capable of living and playing and spending time with people. It’s just that they might need adaptations to do so. They need society to understand and be part of those adaptations, because otherwise, disabled people and children like Maisy are left behind. They’re left to rely on those around them to make sure the world is accessible. This beautiful picture book highlights the challenges that disabled children and adults face. Living a world that assumes everyone can use the same access facilities makes people like Maisy feel excluded when as a society, we should be doing everything we can to include them. Stairs exclude people like Maisy, but a ramp that has railings on the side includes everyone. Everyone can use a ramp, and at times, it can be a lot easier for everyone to use.

Physiotherapist author Michelle De Robillard has created a story that will teach children about disability and inclusivity, and what it can be like when barriers are put in your way, because the assumption is that everyone accesses houses, buildings, gardens and businesses in the same way. It is a great book to start conversations about disability and accessibility, and to teach children that the world is not the same for everyone. What I liked about this book was that Maisy had a supportive family who could solve her accessibility issues in their new house. Yet, it does examine the idea that accessibility should be thought of in the planning stages, instead of forcing people to try and retrofit things or adapt. If accessibility and inclusion for disabled people is built into systems, society, and the physical world around us, it will only benefit everyone. Because anyone can become disabled at any time, and if accessible cities and places already exist, it will make it easier for everyone to adapt when they need to. This is a book that sends an important message whilst also being fun for kids to read.