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monkeyreadme.bsky.social
MonkeyRead.me Publishing
@monkeyreadme.bsky.social
280 followers 190 following 460 posts
Candy Lawrence, autistic author/illustrator of picture books to help children learn social skills. Find them at www.monkeyread.me/shop/ !

Living off the grid with dogs, partner and peace on 40ha of conservation area.
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monkeyreadme.bsky.social
I couldn't resist.

#wankpuffin
The picture is Maxwell Smart, Agent 86, alongside Donald Trump, President no. 47.
May 19, 2025 at 1:09 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
This is all very distressing - and I don't even live there.
Facebook post from Feminist news sharing an X post, headed 'If journalists wrote about the US government the way they do foreign governments': Stan Oklobdzija writes, 'Masked security forces captured an opposition leader in the coastal province of New Jersey as regime officials continue their months-long crackdown against pro-democracy elements in the embattled United States. The arrest comes as the regime issued calls for summary detentions without trial.'
May 10, 2025 at 11:57 PM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
Banner of the year right here. #twatwaffle #orangecheeto #loneskum #protest
A protest sign which reads like a dictionary definition. It says MUSK, noun: a noxious substance emitted from the anal glands of a weasel.
April 15, 2025 at 5:13 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
That thing where your book gets a 5-star review from Reader Views. Woot!
#booksofbluesky

readerviews.com/.../down-to-...
E-book: www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/...
Paperback: www.amazon.com/Down.../dp/1....
#disability #DisabilityInclusion #sailing #specialeducation #specialeducationteacher #downsyndrome
Cover of Down to the Sea by Mike Belnap and Candy Lawrence, with Reader Views five star review sticker attached. The picture is a young man with surfboards on top of his Land Cruiser, silhouetted in sunset colours. Above is a picture of his wife with their child, who has Down syndrome, on a yacht, with the words 'Your baby is Mongoloid - you don't have to take him home.'
April 15, 2025 at 12:46 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
World Autism Awareness Day!
Sharing a meme? Nice. Please do!

But we really want inclusion *without demanding we hide who we are*. And understanding needs to start young.

Bookshop link: www.monkeyread.me/shop/
'Bodie Finch' e-book: amzn.asia/d/eyKMj0F
Print book outside Aus: a.co/d/4jw8evH
#booksky
Three book covers are shown under the heading 'Autism awareness made easier so even a child can get it'. Byline - Books help you explain. Book 1, to show how some kids hide autism, is called Lilly's Mask. A red dragon roars over the head of a small Asian girl. Book 2, to help stop exploitation, is called I Won't, said Willow. A red-haired white girl stands defiantly, hand on hips. Book 3, autism behaviours explained, is called Being Friends with Bodie Finch. A blonde girl runs from a dark-haired boy who's throwing a chair at her. She looks scared.
April 2, 2025 at 4:41 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
Got young kids? Come visit my shop! www.monkeyread.me/shop/
amzn.asia/d/8SIKIha (e-book for under $10)

My books speak to kids about their real life world. They love them and learn from them.

#disability #autism #specialed #specialeducation #ECE #booksofbluesky #indieauthors #inclusion #kindy
Picture of dark-haired little boy in a blue and yellow outfit throwing a chair at a little blonde girl in a purple and white tutu. He looks angry, She looks scared. Text reads 'When Bodie Finch gets cross, he throws things. I get scared.' Header says Monkeyread.me Books. Footer says 'Real stories, about real children.'
March 23, 2025 at 2:59 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
My heartdog Jack, 2005-2019. RIP my fabulous, hilarious, athletic companion. #dogsofBluesky
A black dog with a brown collar, Labrador cross Doberman cross Greyhound, leaps across and into a dam in pursuit of his ball against a background of green grass. He looks very fit and you can almost see the speed from his stretched posture.
March 22, 2025 at 2:58 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
This book is simply A GOOD READ.

E-book (affordable!)
www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/...

Hard copy
books.google.com.au/books?id=Fcp....

#downsyndrome #downsyndromeawareness #specialed #specialeducation #books #BooksofBluesky #specialolympics #Tonga #teaching #ableism #sailing #goodreads #diversity
A book cover in shades of sunset colours showing a surfer and his boards on his car in silhouette. The title is 'Down to the Sea' by Mike Belnap and Candy Lawrence. Byline: 'Your baby is Mongoloid. You don't have to take him home. But we did...' Around the book on a crumpled black background is more information. First time parents fight ableism and prejudice. Disabled baby goes sailing. Island life in Tonga - boy did we learn a lot! Life or death drama for Mum and Dad. Soecial Olympics for the #WIN. And so much more.
March 22, 2025 at 2:51 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
YEEHAW! My biography of Down Syndrome #winner Ty Belnap is here!

Print book: books.google.com.au/books/about/...

or e-book: www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/...

#booksky #books #readingcommunity #diversebooksky #readsky #downsyndrome #disability #writingandbooks #goodreads #sailing #education #specialed
Newspaper-style heading says Ableist Weekly, September 1978. Headline is 'Don't take that baby home' - Parents thumb nose at doctor's advice'. Text reads 'In a surprising turn of events at a local hospital, first time parents Mike and Nancy Belnap have ignored their doctor's advice to abandon their son Ty, who was born with Down Syndrome. Watch this space for more on how Ty went from reject to sporting champion!' The web address is www.monkeyread.me
March 16, 2025 at 2:39 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
I'll just leave this here. Seems I've lost my appetite.
March 12, 2025 at 11:42 PM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
I thought I'd puppy-proofed my house until I put an actual puppy in it.

Do not be fooled by the innocent expression.

#dogsofbluesky #puppies
A 3 month old tan and black German Shepherd cross Border Collie pup stares at the camera sleepily while lying on a brindle cowskin.
February 23, 2025 at 6:09 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
Apologies for the radio silence. Have been busy finding a new companion for my Ted - he's pining since we had to put down his playmate. How do you like this little lady? ♥️ Hoping to meet her very soon! #dogsofbluesky
Picture shows a tan and black puppy about three months old. She's a German Shepherd cross Border Collie but looks most like a Shepherd. She has a red collar on.
February 17, 2025 at 1:27 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
#funnynotfunny
Picture of Elon Musk sitting at the President’s desk with a sulky Trump in the background. The caption reads ‘When an immigrant steals your job’.
February 13, 2025 at 5:53 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
What is DEI? Here's the answer for those from outside the US who have passed it off as another weird US acronym that probs doesn't concern them.

ie: If you are not a white rich male from their own country and of their own religion, they are officially scrapping any semblance of care about you.
If you oppose DEI you should have to use the full phrase instead of the letters. Be brave and say 'I oppose diversity, equity and inclusion'. Bonus points if you admit which part of that you don't like. Making it an acronym transforms it into a thought-terminating cliché. From now on, be proud of your opinions, but be specific. Let everyone know if it's diversity you don't like, or if it's equity, or if it's being inclusive.
February 5, 2025 at 10:52 PM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
Even in Queensland, folks. Even in Queensland.

It's not just the US.

(Qld has just shut the door on hormone treatment for under-18s, which means voices will break, hair and genitals and breasts will grow, and more young people will end themselves as a result. Not cool, Qld. Sociopathic, Qld.)
Meme in pink, blue, white and grey, by 'have a gay day': First they came for the trans people, and I spoke out immediately even though I'm straight and cis because I've read the rest of the fucking poem.'
January 29, 2025 at 5:37 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
I can't verify this as gospel, but the message is strong regardless.

There are many ways to quietly disobey, America.
The text tells the story of a fighter plane crew in World War II who were hit by Nazi fire but the plane didn't explode; on examination, the shells were found to contain a note saying 'This is all we can do for you now'. A commenter notes that harm reduction is not pointless, and that the message's underlying thought is 'they are trying to make us kill you and we refuse'.
January 29, 2025 at 2:54 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
Remember, USA - tolerating intolerance allows intolerance to flourish. Don't let the w⚓s confuse you or call you a hypocrite.
From Wikipedia, shared by Fight the Patriarchy: The paradox of tolerance is a philosophical concept suggesting that if a society extends tolerance to those who are intolerant, it risks enabling the eventual dominance of intolerance, thereby undermining the very principle of tolerance. This paradox was articulated by philosopher Karl Popper in 'The Open Society and its Enemies' (1945), where he argued that a truly tolerant society must not tolerate those who promote intolerance. Popper posited that if intolerant ideologies are allowed unchecked expression, they could exploit open society values to erode or destroy tolerance itself through authoritarian or oppressive practices.
January 27, 2025 at 12:33 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
As a writer who couldn't find her goddamned new story yesterday on her own computer, I feel this in my bones. I AM NOT HERE TO PLAY HIDE AND SEEK, FOLKS 😤
Cartoon meme of two men at the computer business centre. One is saying to the other, 'I do not want to save to onedrive. I want to save to the documents folder... on my computer... in my own house.'
January 26, 2025 at 2:22 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
I have an unusual way of illustrating my children's books. A zillion little moving parts made of paper, all layered into a collage with natural materials.

I've never done a cat before, so this is part of a prototype. At least it's distracted me from missing our dog... sigh.
Drawn and cut out cats compiled of many little parts, just black outlines on white paper. One cat has golden eyes.
January 23, 2025 at 7:35 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
And then there's this... 😬
Facebook post by Australian Research and Space Exploration - Space Australia. It reads, 'Activist group projected this on Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin - Kathy from HR'. The photo is the Tesla factory, but projected clearly on the wall is Elon Musk's Nazi salute and the words 'Heil Tesla'.
January 23, 2025 at 1:27 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
#nocaptionneeded
Yellow meme with black writing: When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace becomes a circus. - Turkish proverb
January 22, 2025 at 11:09 PM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
Some bookseller somewhere is right on the money...
Bookstore bookshelf. A white book called 'Surrounded by Idiots' by Thomas Erikson is flanked by two copies of Elon Musk's biography.
January 21, 2025 at 7:44 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
😥 America, RUOK? 😬
Picture of Donald Trump shouting, in a spoof 'breaking news' story by The Shovel titled 'Felon seen trying to enter White House'.
January 20, 2025 at 11:48 PM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
Normal service will resume when I stop bursting into tears after having to put our dear old dog down at the weekend.

Cancer really is an utter arse.
Picture of the head of OP's old black dog, wrapped in a white shroud and holding a small bouquet of rosemary, lavender and a single red rose between her paws. She's surrounded by red and purple hearts.
January 20, 2025 at 4:20 AM
monkeyreadme.bsky.social
It's hard when you feel like you've struggled all your life to make it a fairer, kinder world...

... and now <looks around> <throws up hands> 😱

Remember they *love* to divide and conquer. Don't squabble amongst yourselves.
Meme shows a small raccoon sitting sadly by the roadside. Text reads 'When you realize you don't want to be responsible for anything anymore and you just want to nap and be small'
January 15, 2025 at 12:35 AM