Ben Has Something to Say: A Story About Stuttering by Laurie Lears

Illustrated by Karen Ritz. 32 p., Whitman, 2000. Some children who stutter hesitate to talk. Ben finds ways not to talk at school, but he likes to tell his Dad about his day because Dad never laughs at him or teases him. Ben especially likes visiting a junkyard with Dad, who is a mechanic. At the junkyard, Ben meets Spike, a very friendly, but rather neglected, dog. Ben is loving and empathic with Spike, and the two become friends. When Ben tries to communicate with the manager about Spike, but won't talk, the manager thinks that Ben is shy. He asks Dad to speak for him, but Dad wisely and matter-of-factly reminds him, "'you can't let your stuttering keep you from talking.'" On one visit to the junkyard, the manager is angry because Spike has failed to protect the junkyard from a robbery. He is going to take Spike to the pound. Ben senses the importance of speaking, and when he offers to buy Spike, he doesn't even care that he stutters. Dad is clearly proud of Ben, and Spike rides home in Dad's pickup truck with them. With this success, Ben begins to feel courageous about speaking. A foreword dispels myths about stuttering and offers suggestions for ways to talk with someone who stutters, and a resource list is included. Illustrated with expressive watercolors, this story will empower children by helping them to value the meaning of their words over their form. Ages 3-8