“One Size Does Not Fit All”
Sunday, October 22, 2023
October 22nd is International Stuttering Awareness Day! The theme of this year’s ISAD conference is One Size Does NOT Fit All. Let’s come together to celebrate this special day by building awareness in our communities. Here are some ideas:
- Participate in the annual online conference to celebrate the day. For instance, check out and share this personal story by person who stutters and SLP Mandy Rodstrom!
- Share your favorite video (such as this one!) or pamphlet about stuttering or create your own. For instance, you could share listening tips and stuttering facts! Here are suggestions from Stamma, the British Stammering Association, on how to talk about stuttering.
- Wear or use something related to stuttering (a T-shirt, sweatshirt, wristband, mask, pen, bag, mug) as an invitation for a conversation about stuttering.
- Advertise, self-disclose, and/or stutter openly in your regular activities of the day. You could also include a self-disclosure in your email sign-off or your Zoom background!
- Announce that it is International Stuttering Awareness Day and then talk about stuttering or share a fun fact on any social media platform.
- Invite people in your life (friends, family, teachers) to an “Ask Me Anything” about stuttering in honor of International Stuttering Awareness Day. You can post this invitation to any online / social media profiles or text it to friends.
How are you celebrating ISAD this year? Leave a comment below or write to us with your ideas!
Books to Celebrate on ISAD
“We challenge the stereotype that stuttering is inherently negative, instead positioning it as a different, valuable and respected way of speaking.” — Patrick Campbell, Christopher Constantino, and Sam Simpson, editors of Stammering Pride and Prejudice
This year, for International Stuttering Awareness Day, let’s explore the works of talented writers from within our stuttering community. These books span diverse genres including fiction, memoir, poetry, and essays. Reading and sharing these books with friends, family, and teachers is a great way to build awareness while celebrating the generative spirits of these incredible writers who stutter!
Life on Delay: Making Peace with a Stutter (2023)
by John Hendrickson
An indelible account of perseverance, a soulful narrative about not giving up, and a glimpse into the process of making peace with our past and present selves.
Jayson Goes for It! (2023)
by Brayden Harrington and David Ritz
A fictional middle grade contemporary story about a boy named Jayson who stutters and the challenges he faces and the obstacles he must overcome as he campaigns for student-body president.
VoiceS Unearthed: The Impact of Early Intervention on Those Who Continue to Stutter (2023)
by Doreen Lenz Holte
The voices of 60 individuals, a combination of parents with older children who stutter and adults who stutter, on how early intervention impacted their quality of life. An essential perspective that sheds light on a safer, more effective way forward for parents and speech therapists.
Every Waking Moment: The Journey to Take Back My Life from the Trauma and Stigma of Stuttering (2022)
by Christopher Anderson
An intense, vulnerable, and insightful memoir showing how the struggle to communicate shapes the coming of age for those who stutter.
Brayden Speaks Up (2021)
by Brayden Harrington, illustrated by Betty C. Tang
A thirteen-year-old boy who stutters gives an incredible speech that electrifies the nation. A book that celebrates the importance of speaking up & using your voice.
I Talk Like a River (2020)
by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith
Watch a Friends keynote and reading by the author here.
When a boy who stutters feels isolated, alone, and incapable of communicating in the way he’d like, it takes a kindly father and a walk by the river to help him find his voice.
Stammering Pride & Prejudice: Difference not Defect (2019)
Edited by Patrick Campbell, Christopher Constantino, and Sam Simpson
Watch a Friends book talk with the authors and editors here.
Combines personal narrative, art, and disability theory. The first published book exploring stammering from a social model perspective.
When Oliver Speaks (2017)
by Kimberly Garvin and Saadiq Wicks
A heartfelt story about a young boy who stutters and finds the courage to accept it.
A Boy and a Jaguar (2014)
by Alan Rabinowitz, illustrated by Cátia Chien
Speaking for the animals he loves gives one boy’s life hope, purpose, and truth in this gorgeous picture book autobiography.
Out With It: How Stuttering Helped Me Find My Voice (2013)
by Katherine Preston
A vividly powerful memoir of a young woman who fought for years to change who she was until she finally found her voice and learned to embrace her imperfection.
Stuttering: Inspiring Stories and Professional Wisdom (2012)
by StutterTalk
A wide range of experiences & knowledge from the stuttering community. Topics include growing up stuttering, chasing fluency, stuttering paradoxes, acceptance, the therapeutic alliance & much more.
And the list goes on! What a vast collection of knowledge and creativity from our stuttering community!
What is your favorite stuttering book? Leave a comment below with your personal favorites! We invite all our FRIENDS to share their faves with someone they know or on social media. Tell your friends what you liked most about the book and why you would recommend it.