Different is Awesome Giveaway

different-is-awesome-picture-book-limb-differenceBooks and photos are two of my favorite ways to help kids better understand a physical difference. Each year, Jordan and I put together a short photo book that tell her story and help her classmates better understand how she lives with one hand.

I think that’s why I’m extra excited for my friend, Ryan Haack. He is the creator of the site, Living One Handed. More than a year ago, he launched a Kickstarter to publish a beautiful children’s book called Different is Awesome. I wanted to support my friend so I helped fund it with the goal that we’d get enough books to give to local school libraries and be able to share some copies with you. Here’s how I told Jordan all about it.


The books is very sweet and we can’t wait to share it with Jordan’s old elementary school and her new one. I also love how the book encourages you to think about what makes you awesome. Here’s the fun part. Think about it. What makes YOU awesome? Jordan says what makes her awesome is her little arm and her sense of humor. Leave a comment below and then register to win one of FOUR copies of Different is Awesome.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
By the way, I’ve learned something about me in the last year. I’ve tried as hard as I can to juggle the job, the life and moving to a new home with a lot of travel. What I now know is I’m horrible at getting to the main post office in my town. If I can ship stuff off from the UPS store, I’m good to go. But the post office seems like a lot of effort for some reason. That’s why I’m going to have to limit my giveaway to the United States only. My UPS Store made it pretty near impossible to send packages abroad. I know others are really good at shipping domestically and internationally but I’m just not that person. I’m so sorry! It’s a downside to living in a small city with limited post office access and limited time.

I’m so excited to see a beautiful new picture book to share with kids that focuses on how to talk about limb differences. If you are interested in buying a copy, you can go here.

38 Comments

  1. Kara on July 7, 2015 at 7:06 am

    It’s awesome that Ryan would take the time to write a book to help kids with differences!

  2. Shanda on July 7, 2015 at 7:39 am

    Thanks for a chance to win Jen! and always being an advocate for kids like ours:)

  3. Kirsten on July 7, 2015 at 7:53 am

    I can’t wait to read this to my little girl!

  4. Mandy Obana on July 7, 2015 at 7:53 am

    I think you are amazingly awesome!! I love seeing all of Jordan’s updates and accomplishments!! I love seeing her smile and joy for life! I love seeing all that are older than my Sadie and feeling that she’s going to be just fine. –And most importantly I love when Sadie does some things better (and earlier) than I could have ever imagined. Thank you for reminding us that we are all Born Just Right!!
    And I have to say that I’m really amazed at your stamina. It seems like you are always on the go, but still manage to have the positive, go getting attitude and beautiful smile to seal the deal! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!

  5. Danielle Simpson on July 7, 2015 at 8:41 am

    Love this!! My daughter Katoe is pretty awesome! Sometimes her little are doesn’t make her believe that, but anyone that knows her knows she is amazing. We made a picture book of her this year when she started Kindergarten and the teachers loved it. They shared it among all 9 classrooms!! If love that have a copy of Ryan’s book to share with the whole school-so all the kids know that they’re all awesome!!!

  6. Danielle Simpson on July 7, 2015 at 8:41 am

    *Katie!!!! Lol

  7. Jamie on July 7, 2015 at 8:42 am

    Yes, showing you care is definitely awesome! I have to share, my little 3-year-old can’t walk but she would not let that stop her at the beach last weekend. She scooted on her bottom, leaving a trail in the sand all the way down to the water because she had to catch those waves. Her fierce determination makes her awesome. 🙂

    • Jen Lee Reeves on July 7, 2015 at 9:16 am

      Danielle, That’s so cool.

    • Jen Lee Reeves on July 7, 2015 at 9:16 am

      Jamie, that’s the sweetest. Our kids are amazing at showing they can do anything they put their mind to.

  8. Mo on July 7, 2015 at 9:09 am

    I would love to win one of these books, and if I don’t I’ll be purchasing one, my son has been asking about his nub a lot more lately and I think he’d appreciate this book. 🙂

  9. Kristin on July 7, 2015 at 9:48 am

    This makes me so happy to see books being made for children that bring awareness to hand differences. I would love to read something like this to my son so he can grow up and embrace his difference and not hide from it. It would be even better for individuals without hand differences to read this too and bring understanding to this world.

    • Jen Lee Reeves on July 7, 2015 at 9:49 am

      I completely agree, Kristin. The more everyone sees about limb differences, the more we will all understand how differences just make us more awesome. 🙂

  10. Jacque on July 7, 2015 at 10:42 am

    Can’t wait to read this new book to my daughter!

  11. Angel on July 7, 2015 at 11:20 am

    This would be so great for my little guy! He’s very proud of his little arm, but he doesn’t see too many other people like him.

  12. Ludovica Borsellini on July 7, 2015 at 11:21 am

    Hi! I’m from Italy and I do love following Jordan’s adventures on her page! She’s so funny, so wise, so indipendent, so charismatic: I like her so much! She’s limitless!
    This year I discovered what makes me awesome: this story is a bit long, but it has an happy ending!
    I recently was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease (Sjogren’s Syndrome) and living with it was really difficult in the beginning: I had terribile joint pain, dry eyes, dry mouth, fatigue and chronic fever. I felt different, my life was completely torn apart, I couldn’t do my normal life routine (I’m 23 years old, so you know… it’s hard to accept that I have a life-long disease) and I felt so vulnerable.
    Then I reacted. I thought that my difference was just a part of me, and not something I might feel embarassed of. I started writing a blog in which I explain to other people what Sjogren’s Syndrome is and what it means having a chronic disease. I started fighting like a tiger to live the life I was used to live before (I learnt to re-use my hands!). This is what makes me awesome!
    Ludovica

    • Jen Lee Reeves on July 7, 2015 at 1:27 pm

      Ludovica, I’m so happy you are celebrating you and helping others learn about Sjogren’s Syndrome. You just taught me about it. Thank you! You are certainly awesome!

  13. Ally on July 7, 2015 at 12:07 pm

    thank you for this opportunity ! My daughter was born with one hand and is starting kindergarten in the fall – this would be a great book to add to the library!
    She is awesome because she never gives yo and can do anything she sets her mind to!
    Thanks again
    Ally

  14. Julie Jordan on July 7, 2015 at 12:19 pm

    I am a teacher and had the privilege of having a student born with a little hand. She is AMAZING and can do ANYTHING that anyone else can. She is very successful and has tons of friends and if necessary they have stood up for her and explained to others about her little hand. Most people don’t even notice she has a little hand until they’ve known her for a while. That is how amazing she is and how her hand is who she is. I would love to win this book for our school to have for her.

  15. Katie O'Rourke on July 7, 2015 at 2:21 pm

    My husband and I are adopting a 2.5 year old boy from Georgia in Eastern Europe. He has a left arm difference and a left clubfoot. Your blog and other blogs have been so helpful as we begin our parenting adventure! We would love to have a copy of this book to read to Simon and share with family and friends!

  16. Penni Yontz on July 7, 2015 at 2:28 pm

    Hi…like I said in my post I would love to have one for Gracies library at school. I also ordered her Little Miss Jessica goes to school. She is really excited about it coming! Will let you know how she likes it.

  17. Jennifer on July 7, 2015 at 2:41 pm

    I can’t wait to read this awesome book to my daughter! ~Jen

  18. Lisa on July 7, 2015 at 4:40 pm

    I am so excited for this book! Katie will absolutely love it and with her starting kindergarten in August, it will be a perfect gift to give her classroom!

  19. Susan on July 7, 2015 at 7:19 pm

    We are so excited about this book. Ryan has such a fantastic perspective on life. This will be a great book for our son to share with his new school next month! Thanks Jen!

  20. Tracie on July 7, 2015 at 8:14 pm

    What an amazing gift that you share very year and now with us! Of course I’d love to win it but either way we will be getting this book! My 5yr old is different in other ways than other kids. Physically he looks like other kids but he is in the spectrum and is a little different that way. It would be great to learn outside or inside we all have differences but they make us. Thanks for your posts and reminding me of that!

  21. Nikki furrow on July 7, 2015 at 9:41 pm

    My son Jacob would LOVE this book!!!! He was born with a ‘special hand’ and will start Kindergarten in the fall. I think this book will definitely help him get excited! 🙂

  22. Jennifer Mayer on July 8, 2015 at 1:09 am

    I would love to win this for my daughter and to share with my kindergarten class.

  23. Michelle on July 10, 2015 at 1:46 pm

    Hi! Our daughter will be going to kindergarten in August (BKA and bilateral hand deformity); I just came to your blog to see what you had done (I recall meeting you and you mentioned a class book with her story). I am looking for potential ideas and this book looks like it might be helpful for this transition. Thank you for your time and energy in doing this blog.

  24. Mehrnoosh on July 12, 2015 at 1:04 am

    Thank you so much Jen for all your efforts. You can’t imagine how much your blog and Facebook help us to realize what our little son would be able to do in the near future. We are so excited to read the book as well. Good luck to your lovely family specially Jordan. 🙂

  25. Barb on July 14, 2015 at 8:08 am

    I will definitely be getting this book even if I do not win it in your fabulous giveaway. I want to share it with my son who is incredibly awesome! I also think it would be great to share with my kindergarten class.

  26. Tina on July 14, 2015 at 8:26 am

    As a parent of a limb different child I am so thankful for everything you and Ryan, as well as the numerous others, do to help my family. Reading your blogs, hearing from other families, sharing my experiences makes this challenge easier.

  27. Sara on July 14, 2015 at 8:51 am

    Would love to win this for my 4 year old and her brother who is due in November and has no right hand. 10 fingers or 5, I hope it reinforces to them that they’re both awesome!!

  28. blueberryjunkie on July 14, 2015 at 4:15 pm

    Thanks for setting up this giveaway. My son Phoenix, 7, is a congenital above elbow right arm amputee and he would love the book, and the reminder that he is awesome and perfect just the way he is. Keep up the good work!

  29. Lesley on July 14, 2015 at 7:38 pm

    My son is awesome in the same way that Jordan is.

  30. Amanda on July 14, 2015 at 8:26 pm

    I am definitely excited for this book! My son is just a few months old, but we will be reading it early and often!

  31. Shenoah on July 16, 2015 at 12:16 am

    We are thrilled to have won one of the books! My daughter Zoey (almost 5) has ulnar dysplasia. She was born with a left hand that has only a thumb and two fingers, which were webbed together at birth but are now surgically separated. Her left arm is also slightly shorter and noticeably narrower than her right. In addition, she also has sensory processing disorder, which makes everyday life a bit harder for her. She is just starting to become aware that she is different from most folks, and I’m glad we’ll have this book to help her understand what a wonderful thing it is to be different. Thank you!

    • Jen Lee Reeves on July 16, 2015 at 5:42 am

      Congrats, Shenoah! I’m so glad Zoey will get to enjoy this special book.

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