The Chalk Rainbow
Illustrator
EK Books
Publisher
EK Books
Publication Year
2017
ISBN
9781925335453
Pages
32 pages
Genre
realism
Format
picture book
Item Type
Fiction
Annotation
Zane is different to other kids. He has his own made-up language. He likes to line things up. And he is frightened of things that don’t seem to bother other people — like the colour black. His father gets frustrated and angry with Zane. His mother tries hard to explain things to him. But nothing seems to work. Zane just scrunches himself up into a ball and screams. Things are looking pretty bleak for Zane and his family; that is, until Zane’s big sister starts to draw a chalk rainbow at the top of the front steps … The Chalk Rainbow explores difference and diversity through a family living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It’s also a story of unconditional love, of trust and of learning to look at the world through the eyes of others. The story is told by Zane’s older sister in a way that young children can easily relate to. The ending is uplifting as all members of the family learn to look at things differently and find a way to move forward together.
Grade Level
PK-1; K-3
Diversity Topics
Disability and Health; Developmental Disability; autism; autistic children
Main Character
male child
Race/Ethnicities
White
Keywords
rainbows; sisters and brothers
Diversity Impact
direct
STARS Citation
Kelly, Deborah, "The Chalk Rainbow" (2017). Diverse Families. 2103.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/diversefamilies/2103