Paulding County author publishes children’s book “Jump”

Paulding County resident Avery McNeil has published the first in a series of children’s books. McNeil, a Dallas resident, is a Special Ed teacher at Powder Springs Elementary in Cobb County.
He has had three children in Paulding schools.
“I decided to merge my love for writing with my passion for teaching and I wrote the book,” McNeil said, who was contacted recently by phone.
McNeil has been a Special Education Teacher for the past 18 years.
“I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to work with a diverse group of children including those with ADHD, speech impairment, noncompliant behavior, and learning disabilities,” McNeil said. “Early on in my teaching career, I began to notice the lack of representation of main characters with disabilities in children’s literature.”
Titled “Jump” the story is about Kayla, a child with a prosthetic leg who jumps rope, while her younger sister Hannah plays the congas. “Her goal is to achieve a record in speed,” he said.
The debate over the outcome of an upcoming competition with another girl divides the town.
McNeil said he’s working on more books that align with his goal of stories focused on children with disabilities. Two more titles are planned for later this year.
And “Jump” received some additional notice recently.
Through a licensing agreement established with L’Attitude Art in August of 2021, the cover of McNeil’s book was posted in the Orthopedic Wing of Boston Children’s Hospital. The illustrator is Sukanto Debnath, an award-winning artist now based in London. McNeil said he’s set a goal for his books.
“My ultimate goal is to get more of my books into the public school system throughout Georgia,” he said.
Self-published, “Jump” is available online at Etsy, under the Children’s Books category, for purchase under the shop name BreadnButterBookz. The book is a hardback with a beautiful dust jacket design.
Additionally, McNeil said his book is being made available at Barnes and Noble on Dallas Hwy and the Brave and Kind Book Store in Decatur. To find out more about adding the book to a local school or library, contact McNeil at .