When I saw this new book by Elrena Evans, I was so excited to see a disability inclusive children’s book focused on the church!

“When I Go to Church, I Belong” is currently available for pre-order and releases on September 19th, 2023.

This book is beautifully illustrated and depicts children of many different races and disabilities.

Things I Loved:

• I love that the illustrations depict several different church types. There are traditional church building featured as well as contemporary church buildings. In one photo we see choir members with robes and church members dressed in suits and dresses, while another features a worship band and greeters with coffee in hand. This communicates that all churches can be inclusive to people with disabilities.

• I love that this book is written much like a social story. It is written in first person, with reminders for the child with special needs about how church is a positive place and how it’s ok if they struggle with things like “it is too loud, or too bright, or too busy for me”. I think this would be incredibly helpful for parents of children with special needs to read at home with their children.

• It features someone who is deaf, wheelchair users, someone with a service dog, someone with crutches, discusses food allergies, someone with sensory processing disorder/autism, and Down Syndrome,

• I love that this book focuses on how church is a place to learn about God and a place for community and that it is worth going to, even if it feels hard!

• I love that children with disabilities will see themselves within the pages of this book and can hopefully relate to the words and experiences described.

• I think this book will be an encouragement to families with special needs to find a church who that is welcoming and loving and lets them know that there are churches like this out there!

Things TO CONSIDER:

• I think this book is a great reminder for churches and leaders that accessibility it important, however it does present an ideal that just isn’t happening in all churches. Hopefully it will inspire and encourage more churches to do these things! I love the note from the author at the end of the book that shares her experience looking for a church that would be accepting of her son who has a disability. She states that she hopes this book will be a “jumping-off point for discussions about disability with your family, your Sunday school, and your church as a whole”. I think it serves this purpose well!

• Although I love this book and the message behind it, I know that some churches are not currently able to provide the types of accommodations/resources depicted in the book due to limited space and/or budget. I think it would be disappointing to read this to my child if they had a disability and talk about all of the wonderful things depicted (specifically a beautiful sensory room and a large wheelchair accessible playground) but know that our church does not have the resources to provide those things. For children who lack generalization skills, this could be a problem.

Who This book would be best for:

This would be GREAT for churches who are intentionally reaching children with disabilities and are actively providing accommodations and have spaces designed to help all students feel accepted, welcomed, and comfortable. Or for families who attend churches like that.

I think this book would make a great gift to first time special needs families when they attend your church, the acceptance that would communicate would be beautiful!

Things mentioned/depicted in this book-

• Sign Language Interpreter

• Wheelchair user

• Service Dog

• ramp for getting into the building

• wheelchair accessible playground

• allergy friendly potluck

• sensory room

• “dance zone” in a sanctuary for little ones to move around

• one-on-one buddy

My prayer is that this phrase on the back of the book would be true for all children with disabilities!