The First Thing About You by Chaz Hayden

A young adult novel staring a teenage boy in a power wheelchair? Sign me up! My daughter, Lily, got her first power wheelchair when she was still in elementary school. At first, the sheer weight and size of the wheelchair scared me to pieces. However, with time, my fear softened into admiration as I saw how she skillfully learned to navigate even the most crowded city streets like Lewis Hamilton. "The First Thing About You" is the story of 15-year-old Harris who moves from California to New Jersey along with his parents and sporty older brother. The author, Chaz Hayden, like Harris, has spinal muscular atrophy, a form of muscular dystrophy that makes his limbs weak. The move excites Harris because it will give him a chance to re-inevent himself with new friends, and a new classroom aide. To be his aide, his mother hires Miranda, a super-cool, young nursing student who also went to Harris' new high school. As they begin to work together on his school-work, Harris also befriends a smart classmate named Nory who cooks for her single dad, and a slightly nerdy sidekick named Zander. This book has all the markings of a well-written young adult novel, but boldly brings in the realities of managing a disability at a young age. Rather than being weak and afraid, Harris is brave and assertive. He is determined to make his teenage years as normal as possible, from the seat of his wheelchair. This is Hayden's debut novel. You can find out more about him on Youtube, or his instagram page @thechazhayden. And yes, I have already friended Chaz on instagram and told him how much I enjoyed his book. He said he hopes Lily likes it, too. Spoiler alert: Lily you are getting this book for Christmas! To buy this book on Amazon click here.