Flowers, Ballet, Horses, and a Kitten!
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One afternoon Wesley’s mother came into his bedroom wearing a big hat made of roses. As she tried to give him a kiss Wesley screamed, “Oh no mother! I can't touch the flowers!"
“Oh Wesley," his mother said, "these flowers are not real. They are fake. You can touch them all you want.”
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About the Book
Wesley is a little boy with a fun and colorful story. He was born with spina bifida. He can move his arms and hands, but he cannot stand on his legs, so he has always been in a wheelchair. He likes to say, “I’m Wesley, and I spend my life on wheels!”
In some ways Wesley is just like every little boy; he wonders why he can’t do certain things. For example, he cannot touch real flowers because he is very allergic to them; they make his face itchy and bumpy. But luckily, he can enjoy fake flowers, and he can even use them to decorate hats! His sister and her friend are ballet dancers, and he uses his hat-decorating skills to help them out. Wesley’s father is a horseback rider, and while Wesley can’t touch the flowers, he can ride with his father in the sunflower patch. And when he finds a lost kitten in the barn, he learns that there’s even more he can do.
In this children’s story, a boy in a wheelchair finds his true abilities through life experiences with flowers, ballet, horses, and a kitten—with the support of his loving family.
About the Author
Truett Lee Vaigneur Jr., EdD, works for the City University of New York as a career counselor for students who are disabled. Additionally, he hosts the talk show Disabilities Redefined with Dr. Vaigneur. Visit him online at www.disabilitiesredefined.com.
N Nordberg is an illustration artist and Savannah College of Art and Design graduate. They have a passion for loud colors, good stories, and odd collections; visit them online at www.mxnordberg.com.