Multi-Award Winning                
 Squishy Sand  
 Book 1
 Leigh's Wheelie Adventures 

"QR code
on back cover to watch full Video & read along. 
COOL!"

By Charlene McIver

Illustrations by Caroline Keys

Published October 2020

Join Leigh and his friends on this fun-filled beach adventure as they try hilarious ways to move a heavy wheelchair across the sand.
Based on the true story of Leigh. A beautifully illustrated story of friendship and determination.

Suitable for ages 5 to 10 years.

                   Little Parachutes Gold Award Winner
"Squishy Sand has been awarded a Gold Star by Little Parachutes for the highest quality and most helpful book in their library."
Categories: Acceptance & Inclusion, Confidence & Self-esteem, Courage, Disabilities, Friendship & Getting along, Kindness, Resilience/adaptability.
"This engaging picture book features Leigh, a disabled child who uses a wheelchair. It highlights some of the everyday obstacles that wheelchair users have to cope with. A great choice for any child, reinforcing the importance of empathy, resilience, teamwork, kindness, and creative thinking."
Review by Claire Ward-Dutton, November 2020. 
              
 

                             Literary Titan Award                       
Squishy Sand is an educational children’s story that teaches young readers valuable life lessons and problem-solving using creativity, all wrapped up in a fun little beach adventure. This book shows that it’s important to be understanding and patient with people that struggle with a disability. The story is fun and entertaining for the audience. Overall, the book is a great read for children to learn about others, and how to help them!

Reviewed: March 2021. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐                     

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Squishy Sand wins 1st place in the Forevability Empowering Tales                               Children's 2021 Book awards.

                          Readers' Favorite
"This is a compassionate and heartwarming story about determination when all odds are seemingly stacked against you." April 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

                                     The Children's Book Review 
"Many existing portrayals fall into the trap of providing simplified stereotypes of disability or of offering negative portrayals that emphasize differences, elicit pity, and disempower disabled characters. That is why it is so refreshing to come across a book like Squishy Sand, which offers an honest, accurate, positive depiction of disability in a story that focuses on empowerment and friendship. Without denying or ignoring the unique fears and challenges that Leigh faces, Squishy Sand manages to be a book that is more about the shared experiences of friendship and determination than about disability. It is a simple, heartwarming, and positive story." December 2020

                        Reader Views Kids 
"I liked the part of the story when they got the big wheels on the wheelchair and went down the ramp; it made me jealous because I wanted to do that too! I also felt excited to see them having fun, taking turns, and going through the water – I love the beach and playing in any water!
I understood the whole story and can read it by myself. I think that other kids my age will like this story because it has a beach and the kids figure out how to fix problems."
Reviewed by Lydia (age 8) and Mom for Reader Views Kids, June 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐