Authentically Addie

This engaging picture book follows a curious child named Addie as she explores the zoo and meets animal friends with various disabilities, creating a gentle introduction to diversity and inclusion for young readers. Through Addie's genuine curiosity and the animals' distinct characteristics, children discover how differences make each creature special in their own way. The story naturally weaves in concepts of accessibility, adaptive tools, and different ways of moving through the world, making complex topics approachable for preschoolers and early elementary students. This disability awareness book serves as both an entertaining adventure story and an educational tool for discussing neurodiversity and physical differences.

What sets this children's book apart is its authentic perspective, co-created with the author's daughter who brings real experience to the narrative about embracing uniqueness. The animal characters—each with their own visible and invisible disabilities—provide relatable entry points for children to understand inclusion without feeling lectured. Families seeking resources for teaching empathy and acceptance will find this particularly valuable for starting meaningful conversations about disability representation. The story ultimately celebrates how being authentically yourself creates the most wonderful adventures of all.