Mickey on the Move
As a speech-language pathologist, I love discovering books about various topics. Mickey on the Move is a picture book written by Michelle Wagner and illustrated by Jenny Phelps about a young boy named Mickey who has bilateral cochlear implants. The story takes the reader through a typical day for Mickey and his journey as he becomes mainstreamed into a local public school.
In the beginning, the author discusses the long rides to his other schools, the intensive speech and language sessions, learning sign language, and seeing various doctors determine the best course of action for Mickey. What are cochlear implants? The author explains what cochlear implants are and how they work, which is very helpful for the reader who is not familiar with them. The story continues with how his mother advocates for Mickey as he overcomes some obstacles in the classroom (e.g. noisy environments).
I enjoyed this book because the author explains the basics of cochlear implants and the process of obtaining them. Also, she discusses the importance of sign language, which is still essential given that Mickey is completely deaf when he takes off the implants.
As an additional note, making the decision to move forward with cochlear implants is a big decision for parents since it is a surgery. I loved our discussion about what her journey was like as a mother and advocate for her son.
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Follow up Activity
A wonderful follow-up activity would be to show children what cochlear implants look like. I liked this video because each child discusses their journey with cochlear implants…
As a disclaimer, I love supporting authors who write children’s books about a variety of topics. Reviewing this book does not mean I don’t support the deaf community and their perspective on cochlear implants. I support any parent who wants to make the best decision for their child in their own individual situation.
Michelle Wagner
Michelle is a full-time realtor, mom, and author who dedicates her time and energy to charities and events supporting children with hearing loss. Michelle takes pride in assisting families as they work through the different approaches to raising a special needs child in a typical environment.
After discovering her adopted son was profoundly deaf in both ears, she made it her mission to advocate for him. After Mickey’s bilateral cochlear implant surgery, the journey began. Together, Michelle and her son went for years of extensive private speech lessons in their home, allowing Mickey to progress and be mainstreamed with individualized help at the school in his town, St. Helena.
To learn more about Michelle, visit her website here.