Lucas at the Paralympics

Introduce your child to the Paralympics--where physically disabled world-class athletes exemplify strength, determination, and courage. Introduce your child to the Paralympics--where physically disabled world-class athletes exemplify strength, determination, and courage. Lucas and Eddie, two physically disabled friends, visit the Paralympics and cheer on blind and physically challenged athletes as they compete in running, swimming, sitting volleyball, para archery, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair basketball, and more. Readers learn about some of the rules that expedite play and that even the playing field. For example, blind runners wear blindfolds so none of the competitors (some totally blind and some with limited sight) have an unfair advantage. Also, all of the blind competitors are tethered to guides. Author Igor Plohl, who lost the use of his legs after a spinal injury, is a teacher and passionate advocate for raising awareness of physical disability. As a teacher, he knows the questions children ask and how to answer them. A CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book

About the Author :
Igor Phol (pronounced EE-gor PLAHL) was born and raised in Slovenia, where he teaches at a primary school and lectures extensively on physical disability and spinal cord injury. After falling from a ladder at the age of twenty-nine, he injured his spinal cord and became paraplegic. He shares his experience in an autobiographical book for adults and three children's books. You can learn more about Igor Plohl on his website www.igor-plohl.info. Urska Stropnik Sonc graduated from the Faculty of Education in Maribor for book illustration. Her first picture book illustrations were published in 1997. Since then, she has illustrated more than 70 books. She lives with her husband and three sons in Velenje, Slovenia.

Review :
"Slovenian author Plohl’s picture book introduces young readers to the Paralympic Games. . . . Plohl also fell from a ladder and became paraplegic, like the character Lucas, and his book raises awareness for children about physical disabilities. Illustrations by Slovenian artist Sonc are brightly colored with cartoon animals that pop off the page." —Booklist 
 
"Šonc’s brightly colored illustrations depict a variety of anthropomorphic animals happily competing in the events, from blind running and goalball to para swimming, sitting volleyball, para archery, and more. Additional text and sidebars at the end explain the events of the Winter Paralympics. Plohl, disabled following a spinal injury, provides accessible explanations that, at least in translation, celebrate paralympic athletes without sentimentality or pity, while Šonc’s illustrations make the basics of the sports clear. A thoughtful and educational addition to the picture book canon, and a necessary purchase for all libraries." —School Library Journal

"A cheery and informative introduction to the Paralympic Games." —Kirkus Reviews