Joy Givens visits Riverstone with her debut picture book, THE UNSTOPPABLE JAMIE.
Inspired by Joy's son, Unstoppable Jamie is the story of a boy with Down syndrome who goes on a superhero's journey to New York City and learns what truly makes him unstoppable.
Jamie likes to pretend he's a superhero. With his cape and gadgets, he feels like he can face anything. When his picture is chosen to be shown in Times Square for the NDSS Buddy Walk(R), his family travels to New York City to see it. As he makes his way through the loud, busy, unfamiliar city, Jamie discovers that he doesn't have all his special tools. But he soon realizes that it isn't what he wears or the gadgets he uses that make him brave--it's who he is inside.
Joy Givens is the author of several award-winning short stories and the lucky mother of four young superheroes, including her son Joshua, who inspired her debut picture book The Unstoppable Jamie. She also works as a coordinator of after-school programs that serve refugee and immigrant youth. Joy lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her family.