My Dad Can reassures children that a parents wheelchair doesnt change who they are. Iris's dad is the best. He blows up her floaties when she wants to go swimming. He covers her eyes when they watch scary movies. Best of all, she loves that she can climb into his lap for warm cuddles. Her dad is amazing. But sometimes they meet people who can't see what she sees, and today is one of those days . . . A heartwarming picture book about a young girl who learns that her dad's wheelchair doesn't define what he can or can't do, perfect for sparking meaningful conversations that celebrate inclusion.
Stephen Lightbown is a Bristol-based poet and picture book writer.
Paralysed from below the waist following an accident when he was sixteen, Stephen uses his writing to give a voice to his disability. He is the author of two poetry collections for adults and one for children.
His childrens collection, And I Climbed, And I Climbed, published in September 2023 by Troika Books, was picked as a Book Trust book of the month; a Read for Empathy 2025 collection; a National Poetry Day 2024 selected title; and was shortlisted for the CLiPPA Poetry Award 2024 and the UKLA Book Awards 2025.
Stephen has also represented England twice at the disabled surfing World Championships.
Claire Sahara Lemp is an illustrator based in Duluth, Minnesota, who studied a Masters of Childrens Book Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art in Cambridge, England.
Much of her life has been spent deep in observation of the world around her, noticing the details of relationship, emotion, humour, place. In her work, she seeks to express these observations through colour and traditional media.
If she's not nose down in a sea of paper, you might find her alone in the woods, or meandering with her 6-year-old looking for treasure.
