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School Library Journal 

Book review 
 
"RESH, Kimberly, ed. Our Friend Mikayla. 48p. illus. Bubel/Aiken Foundation. 2007. Tr $14.95. ISBN 1-4243-0734-1. LC number unavailable. 

K-Gr 3—Third graders in a school in Pennsylvania describe their experiences with their classmate Mikayla, a girl in a wheelchair with multiple disabilities, including mental retardation, legal blindness, and hearing loss. Through observations, anecdotes, and child-created art, the students explore how they move from initial feelings of fear to acceptance and friendship. Each youngster takes a turn illustrating a class-written narrative that expresses such things as Mikayla's love for cotton candy and for singer Clay Aiken as well as how the kids thought up a way to include her as the pitcher in kickball. While this book reads, at times, like a teacher-driven class project, the students' affection for their friend feels very honest. The watercolor-and-ink paintings, including one by Mikayla, display an authenticity that an adult illustrator may not have been able to replicate. This title is of great value for classrooms and home use alike as more and more schools, students, and parents work toward mainstreaming children with disabilities.—Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY"