Maxwell Goes to the Zoo
Children can see those with Down Syndrome as “just like me.”
Storybook Encourages Children to See Similarities Rather than Differences
Children can see those with Down Syndrome as “just like me.”
2019-03-28
Down
Syndrome advocate Lisa Van Drese hopes her new book, Maxwell Goes to the Zoo ($10.49,
paperback, 9781498478267), sparks discussion between children and their
caregivers about people who are different.
Maxwell has Down Syndrome, but this aspect is downplayed in the text.
The story is primarily about a boy enjoying his trip to the zoo with his
mother, the same as many other children.
Van
Drese hopes that children enjoying her story will see how much they have in
common with Maxwell, and learn to see the qualities they share with others,
rather than the things that make them different.
“The
story rolls off of the tongue for an easy read that welcomes repetitive readings
that children tend to love,” said Van Drese.
Lisa
Van Drese is the mother of two children finishing up her BA in English from the
University of Phoenix. She has
previously authored magazine articles and has plans to earn a Master’s degree
in Creative Writing. She is currently
working on her second book, Down Syndrome: One Mother’s Truth.
Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group,
is the world’s largest Christian
self-publisher, with more than 12,000 titles published to date. Maxwell
Goes to the Zoo is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore,
amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.