Mr. Whoo and a Good Friend

Marie Grant loves to soar on the swings and glide fast down the slide with her imaginary friend, Mr. Whoo. Mr. Whoo loves Marie for who she is, even though Marie walks differently, and he makes playing outside fabulous fun. But Marie and Mr. Whoo are not the only ones on the playground. Kids tease Marie for walking differently and wearing leg braces. Mr. Whoo encourages Marie and helps her find a friend her own age who likes her just the way she is.

All kids want to be included. But society still uses what many people feel are negative labels for people with disabilities, but these are really just differences. Mr. Whoo and a Good Friend is the first in a series of books based on the life of a girl with a physical difference who is just trying to find acceptance and longs to feel included. Marie copes with feeling left out by using her imagination to make up a friend she names Mr. Whoo. Now Marie shares that her disability is simply just a difference, and we all vary from person to person, so we shouldn’t exclude people just because of their physical or cognitive variables. She tries to help others understand that kids with these differences have the same wants and needs as everyone else. Now, they may have to adapt and do things a little differently, but that shouldn’t matter. We all do things differently. What does matter is that everyone is given the opportunity to try. We all have similarities, but we all have differences, too. If we truly want to create an accepting society, we need to include everyone, including those with differences.