Twin sisters from Ann Arbor have teamed up to tackle a topic many kids struggle with: being accepted for who you are, even when that looks different from the people around you.
Author Daphne Matthews and illustrator Phoebe Matthews released "The Friendship Garden: Growing Up with Cerebral Palsy" last month, telling the story through a flower's journey to help children understand what it means to grow up different.
Daphne, who has cerebral palsy herself, studied early childhood education in college and has spent years working in child care and early education settings. It was there, fielding questions from curious kids, that the idea for the book took root.
For the illustrations, she turned to her twin sister. Phoebe, who studied art in college, said she was honored to help share her sister's story. The two sisters said the collaboration deepened what they already knew about each other — including how open each was to creative feedback along the way.
The takeaway for young readers, Daphne said, is that having limitations doesn't mean giving up on a dream. She hopes the book opens conversations in classrooms and homes about people who are different, and helps kids who feel unaccepted by their peers know their own worth.
"The Friendship Garden: Growing Up with Cerebral Palsy" is available locally at Schuler Books in Grand Rapids, at Barnes & Noble, and on Amazon.
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