Kaitlin McKoy has a superpower. McKoy, a student at Peeples Elementary, just saw her story “Sounds I Hear with My Magic Ears” published, and she wants everyone to hear how awesome it can be to be hearing impaired.
The book is about the sounds that Kaitlin can hear inside and outside when she wears her cochlear impacts, her “magic ears.” She talks about the sounds that she likes to hear and the ones that she doesn’t like to hear.
“I want other readers to know that, with the help of cochlear implants, deaf children can hear many of the same sounds that hearing people can hear,” Kaitlin said. “I want everyone to know that, although I may not be able to hear everything, I can enjoy many of the same sounds that everyone else can.”
The classroom task was to develop a narrative story of the student’s choosing, and it could be fiction or non-fiction. Kaitlin was born deaf, and she chose to celebrate her superpower.
“I was inspired to write about my magic ears because people ask me about my cochlear implants all the time. They want to know what they are, what I can hear, and what it sounds I like to hear with my implants,” said Kaitlin. “Without my implants I can’t hear any sounds at all, and at school I have to use my interpreter, so I wanted to let everyone know that, although I was born deaf, when I wear my implants I can hear many different sounds in the environment.”
Her story was so well-received it was selected to be published and put in her school library. Through Leap For Literacy, “Sounds I Hear With My Magic Ears” was turned into a full book with a professional illustrator, and it can be purchased through Amazon.
It was a thrill to see her book in print for the first time.
“It was exciting to get a hard copy of my book,” she said. “I was amazed at how pretty and colorful the pictures were. I loved it!
Kaitlin’s tale was so inspirational that Stan Tucker, founder of Leap For Literacy, invited her to appear on his YouTube show, “The Very Airy Library,” to share her story as part of his young author series.
Kaitlin is an inspiration to everyone she meets.
“I have been Kaitlin’s deaf/hard of hearing teacher for the past six years and have had the opportunity to watch her grow and blossom as a student,” said Amanda Fields. “I am so proud of her.”
Kaitlin hopes this is just the first of many books she writes. She has a lot more stories to tell and even more people to inspire.
“I hope to write more books about what deaf children with cochlear implants can do,” she said. “I really want people to know that we can enjoy sounds, talk, and do things just like everybody else.”
To order a copy of Kaitlin’s book, go to amzn.to/3t9N26C.
— Provided by the Fayette County School System.
