Playdate Surprise

Written by Karen Autio

Illustrated by Laura Watson

Scholastic Canada

978-1-4431-9981-0

24 pp.

Ages 3-7

September 2024

 

Remember the two friends Kayla and Piper from I Can, Too!? Karen Autio and Laura Watson have brought the two little girls, one with mobility issues, together again in a story of friendship and accommodation.

From Playdate Surprise, written by Karen Autio, illustrated by Laura Watson

Being a friend and having a friend are great opportunities for growing as a person with the fun and understanding that comes from being together. No wonder Kayla is so excited when Piper is able to come over to her house for a playdate. Although there are lots of accommodations that have been made for Kayla to get around outside and in her house, these are not the focus as the two girls play with Kayla's dog Roscoe, who is very well trained, and just having fun.

From Playdate Surprise, written by Karen Autio, illustrated by Laura Watson

But when it's time for Piper to leave and she wants to invite Kayla to their house the next day, Piper's mom realizes that their front step would be an obstacle to Kayla. So, the girls must wait until the weekend when Kayla's dad can help her get into Piper's house.

From Playdate Surprise, written by Karen Autio, illustrated by Laura Watson

Their next playdate is just as much fun. No wonder that the girls want to continue having playdates and Piper's family finds a way to help that happen with an unexpected surprise of accessibility.

 

Karen Autio's first story of Kayla focused on the different modes of mobility available to a child in a wheelchair, allowing her to do many of the same activities as her wheel-less peers. In Playdate Surprise, that same message of positivity is pervasive, with Kayla and Piper smiling with joy for their friendship and time to be spent together. And even though a concrete step is a real impediment to Kayla's visiting Piper's house, both families find a way or two to accommodate her wheelchair and support the girls' friendship. 

 

Laura Watson, who also illustrated I Can, Too!, uses her digital art to keep the story light and yet meaningful. Her bold colours and joyous characters make a story a positive one of camaraderie and reassurance, demonstrating that at its heart, Playdate Surprise is a story of two friends, one of whom just happens to be in a wheelchair.

 

Karen Autio's dedication suggests that there was such a family that modified their home to allow her daughter accessibility, for which she was very thankful, so she speaks from experience in Playdate Surprise. That alone makes this picture book special. But it's also a reminder to everyone that accessibility doesn't just happen. We have to make it happen, whether through policy or protest, training or grassroots actions at home. Because when everyone is included, there's a lot more smiling that happens for everyone.

I Can, Too!

Written by Karen Autio

Illustrated by Laura Watson

Scholastic Canada

978-1-4431-9008-4

24 pp.

Ages 3-7

September 2022

In a a story about differences, Karen Autio and Laura Watson show us that we're all the same, or can be, when it comes to mobility.

From I Can, Too! by Karen Autio, illus. by Laura Watson

From birth, Kayla and Piper move the same: they're pushed in strollers, they roll and then they crawl. As they reach for new milestones like standing, they begin to do things slightly differently. Piper uses a chair to support her and Kayla uses a standing frame. Riding their tricycles, zooming around the streets, riding horses, gliding over ice and skiing are all the same and yet different. Still the joy that the girls get from movement is palpable in their smiles, cheers, and twinkling eyes.

Once they start to attend school, the girls participate fully in their play and learning. Whether outside on an inclusive playground with a raised sand table and accessible slides or field trips in nature, all the kids can enjoy a satisfying experience. Moreover, the others get to learn how Kayla moves in a wheelchair when her mom brings an extra chair for her classmates to try out.

From I Can, Too! by Karen Autio, illus. by Laura Watson

When it comes to the kids, they can all move and have fun, even if differently. 

The dedication to I Can, Too! suggests that Karen Autio's experiences come from those of her daughter Annaliis "who joyfully gave all mobility equipment that came her way a try" and it's evident that the range of adaptive equipment, from hand-propelled tricycles to hiking wheelchairs and sit-ski, is staggering. What is most important are the opportunities this equipment gives to those with mobility issues and it's fairly obviously that Kayla, and undoubtedly Annaliis, were able to enjoy all activities that children should experience wholeheartedly, from sports to trick-or-treating and beach play. (Yes, there is a beach wheelchair with oversized tires.) But, while BC author Karen Autio explains the use of these devices, appending her story with "Amazing Ways to Move!," her goal isn't to highlight the differences but rather the commonalities and connections children make through their play and learning.

 

Ontario illustrator Laura Watson brings that joy of movement and play to the children of I Can, Too! Her characters are full of life and colour, different in their clothing, skin, and abilities, same in their pleasure at connecting with others and engaging in fun.

 

I Can, Too! is an affirmation that, with accessibility, comes equity and opportunity. Whether it's Reciprocating Gait Orthoses or inclusive playgrounds, adaptive equipment helps everyone to find happiness.