‘Avery and the Special Shoe’: N.B. father writes children’s book about daughter with cerebral palsy

A New Brunswick father has launched a children’s book that he hopes will inspire his daughter and other kids to embrace what makes them special.

Jeff Somers wrote the book, Avery and the Special Shoe, inspired by his seven-year-old daughter Avery, who was born with cerebral palsy and wears an orthotic brace on her leg to help with her mobility.

“She is very smart and brave and she keeps us on our toes. She is also someone who is living with CP, or cerebral palsy,” said Somers.

Avery started Grade 1 in September 2022 and said she was a little nervous at first about going to school sporting her brace.

“I was scared what other people would think about it,” said Avery.

The family loves to read and often uses books to help start important conversations about life. But when Somers was unable to find a book where Avery could see herself in the story, he decided to write on himself.

“We knew eventually there would be some questions and we didn’t want her to be caught off guard and we didn’t want her to think it was something that she couldn’t talk about or that she should be ashamed of or that she shouldn’t own,” said her dad.

That’s when the story of Avery’s special shoe was brought to life in print. Somers said he originally intended for the story to be for their family but decided to launch the book in hopes the story will help encourage his daughter and others to embrace what makes them special.

The book, which depicts Avery in her “special shoe” running around and having fun, running up stairs, riding her bike and playing her dog, is now available for order across Canada.

The book was illustrated by artist Meaghan Smith, whose illustrations Somers said are magical “Meaghan knocked it out of the park,” said Somers.

Somers hopes it will also help other families celebrate the joys of being different.

“So that other people can know that they can be brave too,” said Avery.

“Maybe you don’t wear a special shoe like Avery does but maybe somewhere in the course of this story it gives you a chance to talk about what it is that makes you special or different and opens the door to have that conversation in your own family or with other kids at school,” he said.

Those conversations have already begun. The first copies of the book arrived just this week and Avery’s classmates read it for the first time. Avery said the kids in her class loved the book.

“I hope it is something that she can hang onto even into older years when things get hard for different reasons,” Somers said. “So that she and others can look no further than their bookcase to find their special in the story of Avery and the Special Shoe.”