Brittany Kelley
KYLE — For Karlie Waldrip, someone who didn't enjoy reading, authoring a children’s book was never in her plans, but that quickly changed when she wanted more representation for her students.
Being born deaf meant that reading was never a passion, said Waldrip. She explained that, to understand English, it was easier to hear the words out loud than to read them. Because of this, picture books — which are more visual in nature — were and still are her favorite, as she is able to understand the plot of the story, without feeling alienated because of her deafness and the difficulties it causes.
She continued to notice this experience with other deaf and hard-of-hearing children throughout her career as a deaf educator: “I understand a lot of deaf and hard-of-hearing kids, they went through the same thing. So, a lot of them don’t really enjoy reading … There’s not a lot of talking about deafness in children’s books. There’s a lot of books about deafness in chapter books … [but] young kids need to see themselves in a book and I just wanted that.”
Taking this into account, she considered the idea of writing her own book: a book with deaf characters, written by a deaf author.
She then reached out to children’s authors online and asked about the process, to which she received a detailed step-by-step instruction.
Because Waldrip knew that she wanted to both make the book accessible and have representation, she wrote them based on her own life experiences, but from the perspective of her dog, Rhett, who is also deaf.
“The first is written in his perspective of his experience at the shelter, meeting a deaf girl, getting adopted, learning sign language and just showing the world that we’re able to do things, [too],” Waldrip said.
Showcasing her dog was not only a way to draw in the attention of children, but to let potential adopters know that deaf dogs matter, as well, and can still make a great companion.
Waldrip also explained that, often, when people learn that she or Rhett is deaf, their first response is, “I’m sorry,” but there is nothing to be sorry about, Waldrip emphasized. There are still plenty of things that both she and her dog can do as deaf individuals, even if they may look a little different.
This is what inspired her book titles, with the first being “I Deaf-initely Can” and the second, “We Deaf-initely Can.”
“I feel like it’s just a teaching moment, not just for deaf kids, but for everyone,” she said. “I thought it would be good for people to see that just because we’re deaf doesn't mean we can’t go to coffee shops and order, [that] we can’t do anything like swim or train or learn new things.”
Because of this, her second release focused on the adventures that Waldrip and Rhett have taken throughout the years.
The author’s favorite part since releasing her book has been doing readings at schools or facilities throughout the globe. She shared that she has spoken to children in New Zealand, Germany, California, Kansas and more.
“I talk and sign at the same time when I’m doing it, so a lot of these kids — I go to a lot of schools that don’t have deaf kids and sign language — will be like, ‘What are you doing with your hands?’ They’re just drawn in,” shared Waldrip. “I always believe [in] every school [that] I made some sort of impact because they would write letters and teachers will email me, like, ‘That was the best author visit.’”
By incorporating sign language throughout the book, while also focusing on bright and colorful imagery — done by a deaf illustrator — and detailing various experiences, Waldrip hopes to inspire and teach others, especially parents.
She shared that a lot of hearing parents who have children born deaf are scared and grieving for their child, but that her books can offer them a way to not only feel secure in their child’s future, but to connect with them.
For hearing families, it also sparks a learning lesson for children to know that they can make friends and interact with deaf children just the same.
To reach out to Waldrip for an author visit, purchase the book or find more information, visit www.rhetttheheeler.com.
