B.C. woman writes book to shine positive light on kids with disabilities

A Keremeos, B.C., mother who watched her son growing up with cerebral palsy has published a book that celebrates and accepts children with disabilities. 

Della Barrett, 64, said she was inspired to write Gus Gets Going after searching for kids' picture books that reflected her son Joshua's experience.

"It was sad to see all the negatives. They were meant to help with integration and acceptance of kids with disabilities, but they had a sad tone. And I created a book that has no sadness in the tone," Barrett told Chris Walker, host of CBC's Daybreak South, about her 32-page work.

Joshua, now 34, was born with severe cerebral palsy. According to the Cerebral Palsy Association of B.C., characteristics of cerebral palsy include lack of muscle coordination, speech impairment, and difficulty with fine motor movements.

Joshua attended kindergarten to Grade 12 in Kitscoty, a village in eastern Alberta. He didn't complete the same curriculum as his classmates, but rather learned at his own pace with help from a teacher's assistant. He is capable of expressing emotions, but has mastered only a few words. 

His mother remembers the care Joshua received from his classmates and teachers in elementary school.

"Classmates had to help push him around the classroom and got him very involved. And he had a very good experience in kindergarten," she said. 

Barrett reflects her son's experience in Gus, her book's central character.

The story goes that Gus used to be stuck in a baby stroller, but he wants to move around without help from his family.

"I wished I could go, go, go," says the fictional character.

Barrett decided to create Gus Gets Going because of her dissatisfaction with picture books that seem to pity, rather than celebrate kids with disabilities. 

She said Joshua is happy about the publication of a book inspired by him. She hopes it will serve as a boost for other families of children with disabilities using wheelchairs.

The Okanagan Regional Library says it is considering buying and circulating copies of Gus Gets Going.