"At once beautiful and heartbreaking, Aaron Philip found a way to make me laugh even as I choked up, found a way to bring on my empathy without ever allowing me to feel sorry for him. An eye-opening debut." —Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award winner and Newbery Honor author of Brown Girl Dreaming
In this heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting memoir, Aaron Philip, a fourteen-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, shows how he isn't defined so much by his disability as he is by his abilities.
Written with award-winning author Tonya Bolden, This Kid Can Fly chronicles Aaron's extraordinary journey from happy baby in Antigua to confident teen artist in New York City. His honest, often funny stories of triumph—despite physical difficulties, poverty, and other challenges—are as inspiring as they are eye-opening.
Includes photos and original illustrations from Aaron's personal collection.
How does a boy who can’t walk learn to fly?
- Inspirational Memoir: Follow Aaron’s incredible journey from his early years in Antigua to becoming a confident teen artist and activist in New York City.
- Disability Awareness: An honest, funny, and eye-opening account of life with cerebral palsy that focuses on ability, creativity, and fighting for accessibility.
- A Coming of Age Story: From finding his voice on his Tumblr blog to facing homelessness, Aaron shares his story of growing up, making friends, and discovering his own power.
- The Power of Community: Meet the community of “Angels”—friends, family, and mentors—who rallied around Aaron to help him overcome enormous challenges, from poverty to major surgery.
Gr 5–8—This memoir by a 14-year-old Tumblr artist and self-published author with cerebral palsy (CP) is both inspirational and amusing. Philip was born in St. John's in Antigua and Barbuda. When he was two years old, his motor skills were severely impaired, which caused him intense pain. To uncover what ailed him, his parents moved him to the United States, where he was diagnosed with CP. This condition posed an extreme challenge for Philip until he started intensive speech, physical, and occupational therapy. His family tried their best to give him a stable life over the years, despite many hurdles. Because Philip received better care in the United States, he remained there while his mother and father took turns staying with him (one parent would return to St. John's to look after Philip's younger brother, Aren). Poverty and homelessness took a toll on the boy's friendships and school life. Nevertheless, he maintained a close relationship with his brother, made new friends at summer camp, and created a successful and still active Tumblr blog, "Aaronverse," where he writes about his experiences with CP and the discrimination that those with disabilities face. Philip also dabbled in making kawaii art (a form of very cute Japanese artwork), which later led to him self-publishing his graphic novel, Tanda. The blog's visibility and appreciation gave him the chance to visit and present his work at the Tumblr headquarters. Philip is a courageous young person whose motivation, intelligence, and creativity come through easily. VERDICT Fans of memoirs and those who are interested in learning more about CP will appreciate this humbling and heartwarming read.—Jess Gafkowitz, New York Public Library
