Author Lesley Berrington, owner of Stepping Stones Day Care, which runs three nurseries and one after-school club in Lincoln, was inspired to write the 'Hattie and Friends' series after attending a course on the Disability Discrimination Act.
She said, 'All childcare providers are required to promote a positive image of disability. But there are few suitable resources available to support them.'
Unlike many children's books which use the story to explain or introduce the child's disability, Ms Berrington's books feature the disabled child throughout the story, but do not draw attention to the disability in the text.
She said, 'The whole concept of the book is to help the carer introduce a conversation about disability if it arises - or not, as the case may be.'
In the first book, Hattie and Friends: a day at the zoo, Hattie is pictured on a fun day out with her friend, George, who is in a wheelchair.
The next three titles in the series - a day out at the farm, the seaside and the park - will each feature a friend of Hattie's with a different disability.
To order a copy for 5.99 plus 80p p&p, visit www.hattieandfriends.com or call 01522 806 721.
