Adventures on the Can Do Trail

Adventures On The Can Do Trail is a richly illustrated large format picture book for 4-9 year olds with a strong positive message about fighting back against challenges that seemingly hold one back but which can be conquered. The book consists of seven fables about a human boy named Alex visiting and helping animals along a trail he is hiking called the CAN DO trail. Each fable is about a different animal who has a physical challenge (i.e. disability) and hears CAN'T constantly. There is the oh too short giraffe who everyone says can't eat the leaves at the tops of the trees, the horse with no back legs who his friends believe can't run and play outside with them, and the owl without the ability to see at night who is missing out on the choicest nocturnal morsels. Every one of them-as well as the five others in the book-conquer their limitations with Alex's help and CAN DO what others thought they couldn't empowering that animal to proudly proclaim: WHO SAYS I CAN'T!

On the last page there is a big surprise that really gets the children to think. They tend to go back and look at each page to understand this big reveal.

This book is about cleverness, determination, fortitude and the joy of overcoming what everyone else thinks You CAN'T do. The "overcoming" absolutely delights the child being read to. The fables are brought to life beautifully through the full color artwork of Mary Garcia. A large illustration, covering left and right page, explains an animal's dilemma; then when the child turns the page the outcome of what Alex and the adaptation the animal come up with is revealed on another 2-page spread.

In this book I leave it to the child's imagination why and how these situations occur-that leads to lots of great dialog with the adult reader. I never use the word disability or handicap in the book because these are situations that happen with no real reason like in the real life each child is living. Instead the child will just think about challenges and accomplishments. This positive message resonates with children and I find children coming away with a resolve to never say the word CAN'T.

Jothy knows a lot about challenge and adversity from losing his leg to bone cancer at age 16. But like Alex and the animals in this book, he conquered and went on to get a PhD in computer science, was a serial entrepreneur starting nine high-tech startups, has authored three technical books, and became an extreme athlete. And like the horse, the heron, and all the others along the Can Do Trail, he was told what he can't do all the time. But he learned to face his challenges and to never say can't and to adapt to and work hard at whatever he wanted to accomplish. Jothy has three young grandsons, Warner, Bowen and Bram, who gave him feedback on this book as it was developing. Jothy loves cookies, pizza, and lasagna. He loves hiking with his dog, swimming, skiing, biking, and visiting with his family and friends. He really loved creating this book and hopes it means kids ban the word CAN'T from their lives.

Mary Garcia is the author and illustrator of the children's book, "Boo-Boo's New Leg: A True Story of Illness, Acceptance and Healing". She connected with Jothy via social media and accepted the job of illustrating her second book. Things didn't always go as planned though. Mary had to take care of her parents as well as her own children and was also diagnosed with ADD and anxiety. These two invisible disabilities coupled with the life changes she went through proved very tough on Mary, but Jothy was kind, uplifting and patient. Eleven years later she saw through to the end of the project while working as a teacher assistant in a special needs preschool where she is devoted to educating children and using her creative gifts among her school family.