New children’s book puts speech therapy in the spotlight
Not many characters in children’s books go to speech therapy.
Ruby Rose does, though, and the message of her book is clear: Speech therapy can be fun!
NAU master’s student Taylor Clarkson created Ruby Rose for her undergraduate Honors capstone so children with communication disorders could see themselves in a book. The project also fulfilled her longtime dream of writing and illustrating a children’s book.
This fall, Clarkson and fellow speech-language pathology student Guyliliane Kuete published “Ruby Rose, to Speech She Goes!” Kuete, an artist, collaborated with Clarkson to bring Ruby to life on the page.
“Visually bringing this story to life felt so important because it gives kids a relatable doorway into understanding challenges that aren’t often highlighted,” Kuete said. “I hope this book can help young children empathize with each other, stay open-minded and learn to embrace people’s differences.”
Beyond its character with a speech disorder, the book includes parent and caregiver guides to help children learn to read. Mary Harmon, an associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, suggested the guides. She teaches about emergent literacy—the knowledge and skills children develop before learning to read. Reading aloud with a caregiver is a critical piece.
“I hope this book can help children preparing to start school realize that everyone is unique, and that’s a beautiful thing,” Clarkson said. “I also hope that Ruby Rose will connect children and their families by fostering deeper conversations and that adults will feel supported as they talk with their children through the storybook reading process.”
Neither creator is ready to say goodbye to Ruby Rose, although no sequel is planned yet. Both said their coursework helped them create the book and prepared them for careers in speech-language pathology. Clarkson has one semester of coursework and an internship remaining; Kuete is finishing an internship in Phoenix this semester.
“I would love for Ruby to eventually meet a friend who has speech and language needs whom she can introduce to Ms. Lili and welcome them into her world,” Clarkson said, while Kuete said she wants Ruby Rose to continue her adventures, “possibly by helping people of different ethnicities and races along the way. I’d love to feature more representation of various languages and cultures in the artwork.”
