Jean Little is a Canadian author known for writing children's novels that often feature characters with disabilities. She was born in 1932 in Taiwan and moved to Canada as a child, where she was diagnosed as legally blind. Many of her books draw from her own experiences with vision impairment. Some of her most well-known works include Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird, Mine for Keeps, and Rescue Pup. Over her career she has published over 50 books and won numerous awards for her writing.

1. Jean
Little

2. Author’s Corner: Novels
Birdie for Now Listen for the Singing
(2002) (1977)
Somebody Else’s
Dancing Through the Look Through My Summer (2005)
Snow (2007) Window (1970)
Spring Begins in
Different Dragons Lost and Found March (1966)
(1986) (1985)
Stand in the Wind
Forward, Mamas Going to Buy (1975)
Shakespeare (2005) You A Mockingbird
(1984) Take Wing (1968)
From Anna (1972)
Mine for Keeps The Belonging Place
His Banner Over Me (1962) (1997)
(1995)
One to Grow On The Birthday Girl
Home from Far (1969) (2004)
(1965)
Rescue Pup (2004) Willow and Twig
Kate (1971) (2000)

3. Jean Little Biography
Born in 1932, in Formosa taught herself to read on
(Taiwan) her own, which became
her “greatest joy”
Doctors found scars over
both of her corneas, which Moved to Toronto, Canada
is cause for a significant in 1939
loss of eyesight and is
diagnosed as legally blind Was first in a school for
children with vision
Teased in school problems, but transitioned
to a regular education
Family was very classroom by fourth grade
supportive, with parents
reading to her frequently She lost lots of
accommodations and
Gained limited vision, struggled

4. Began to enjoy writing; Published first novel
her father encouraged after freshman year:
her and often edited Let Me Be Gentle about
her work a large family with a
mentally retarded six-
Father published her year-old girl.
first collection of poetry
when Little was 15 Graduated in 1955 with
years old bachelor’s degree in
English
Saturday Night
(magazine) published Taught children with
two of her verses. “I disabilities, although
listened and [when] his she primarily wanted to
voice broke, I knew write
why I wanted to be a
writer.” Worked with children at
camps and in their
Attended Victoria homes, and at the
College’s English Institute of Special
language and literature Education in Salt Lake
program to pursue a City, Utah and at
degree in English, Florida University
father suffered a heart
attack

5. Inspired her to write for Children’s Book of the
children Year Award for Mama’s
Going to Buy You a
Found that books of the Mockingbird – focuses
1950s that did portray on grief and
children with disabilities understanding of a child
were difficult to find and losing a parent
inaccurate portrayals –
miraculous miracles Also writes historical
novels
Published Mine for
Keeps about Sally Published many novels,
Copeland, a young girl picture books, and
with cerebral palsy – professional articles
focuses on coping skills
of Sally and those When not writing, works
around her with young people in
churches, schools, and
1985 – won Canadian the community

6. Jean Little, the Author
Partially sighted grief
Former teacher of children None of her characters find
with disabilities “magical cures” for their
problems
Her disability and
experiences are a basis for Learn to cope and led to
many of her characters, greater self-understanding
many of whom have
cerebral palsy or are blind Has won awards such as
Canadian Children’s Book
Many other characters Award, Governor General’s
confront psychological Literacy Award, and a
difficulties, such as fear or Vicky Metcalf Award

7. From Anna
Novel
Published by Harper in 1972
Preview: “Anna has always been the clumsy one in the family.
Somehow she can never do anything right! She bumps into
tables, and she can't read the blackboard at her school. Her
perfect brothers and sisters call her "Awkward Anna." When
Papa announces that the family is moving from Germany to
Canada, Anna's heart sinks. How can she learn English when
she can't even read German? Nothing could be worse than
this! But when the Soldens arrive in Canada, Anna learns that
there is a reason for her clumsiness. And suddenly,
wonderfully, her whole world begins to change.” – Jean Little
Review: a very intriguing book, with a main character’s
emotional journey that is easily understood.

8. Mama’s Going to Buy You
a Mockingbird
Novel
Published by Penguin in 1984
Preview: “Jeremy is not having a good summer.
His best friends have moved away, and he has to
stay at the cottage with only his little sister and
Aunt Margery. His parents have remained in the
city so his father can have an operation. When
Jeremy finally sees him again, he finds out that
his father has cancer and isn't going to get better.
Suddenly, everything is different. Then Jeremy
finds an unlikely friend in Tess, who knows what
it's like to lose someone. As his friendship with her
grows, through good times and bad, Jeremy
discovers that his father has left him something
that will live forever …” – Jean Little
Review: excellent book, made even more
interesting by Jean Little’s read aloud at
teachingbooks.net
(http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?aid=859).

9. Rescue Pup
Novel
Published by Orca in 2004
Preview: “Shakespeare wriggled joyously and
reared up to lick Tessa's chin. He expected
even this girl to love him on sight. Everybody
always had. But Tessa was not everybody. She
parted her knees and let him slither to the floor.
Shakespeare is a Seeing Eye puppy. But
before the time comes for him to train with a
blind person, he must spend six months with a
girl who has never learned to love. He does all
he can to teach her, but the job places him in
some dangerous situations and by the end of
the story he has earned the title Rescue Pup.”
– Jean Little
Review: written more for a younger elementary
audience, this book dives into emotional issues
skirted by many other authors.

10. Bibliography
(2012). Jean little photograph. (2012). [Web
Photo]. Retrieved from
http://www.scholastic.ca/dearcanada/authors/jea
n_little.htm
Little, J. (n.d.). Jean little: Canadian author.
Retrieved from http://jeanlittle.ca/
Little, J. (n.d.). Teaching books: Jean little.
Retrieved from
http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?aid=859

11. Bibliography of Author’s
Books
Little, J. (1995). Bats about baseball. Penguin.
Little, J. (2002). Birdie for now. Orca.
Little, J. (2003). Brothers far from home: The World War I diary of Eliza Bates.
Scholastic.
Little, J. (2007). Dancing through the snow. Scholastic.
Little, J. (1986). Different Dragons. Penguin.
Little, J. (1998). Emma’s Magic Winter. Harper.
Little, J. (2004). Emma’s Strange Pet. Harper.
Little, J. (2001). Emma’s Yucky Brother. Harper.
Little, J. (2005). Forward, Shakespeare!. Orca.

12. Little, J. (1972). From Anna. Harper.
Little, J. (1996). GruntlePiggle takes off. Penguin.
Little, J. (1986). Hey world, here I am!. Kids Can Press.
Little, J. (1995). His banner over me. Penguin.
Little, J. (1965). Home from far. Little Brown & Co.
Little, J. (2003). I gave my mom a castle. Orca.
Little, J. (2003). I know an old laddie. Penguin.
Little, J. (2007). If I die before I wake: the flue epidemic diary of Fiona
Macgregor. Scholastic.
Little, J. (1995). Jenny and the Hanukkah queen. Penguin.
Little, J. (1991). Jess was the brave one. Penguin.
Little, J. (1971). Kate. HarperCollins.
Little, J. (1977). Listen for the singing. Stoddart.

13. Little, J. (2006). Listen, said the donkey. Scholastic.
Little, J. (1987). Little by little. Penguin.
Little, J. (1970). Look through my window. Harper & Row.
Little, J. (1985). Lost and Found. Penguin.
Little, J. (1984). Mama’s going to buy you a mockingbird. Penguin.
Little, J. (1962). Mine for keeps. Penguin.
Little, J. (1991). One upon a golden apple. Penguin.
Little, J. (1969). One to grow on. Penguin.
Little, J. (2001). Orphan at my door: the home child diary of Victoria
Cope. Scholastic.
Little, J. (2003). Pippin the Christmas pig. Scholastic
Little, J. (2004). Rescue Pup. Orca

14. Little, J. (1992). Revenge of the small small. Penguin.
Little, J. (2005). Somebody else’s summer. Penguin.
Little, J. (1966). Spring begins in March. Penguin.
Little, J. (1975). Stand in the wind. Penguin.
Little, J. (1990). Stars come out within. Penguin.
Little, J. (1968). Take wing. Little Brown & Co.
Little, J. (1997). The belonging place. Penguin.
Little, J. (2004). The birthday girl. Orca.
Little, J. (2008). The sweetest one of all. Scholastic.
Little, J. (1998). What will the robin do then?. Penguin.
Little, J. (1968). When the pie was opened. Little, Brown.
Little, J. (2000). Willow and Twig. Penguin.