This Kid Can Fly: It’s about Ability (Not Disability)

Hi there! I’m Aaron, and I have a disability called cerebral palsy. I’m a disability activist, an artist, alien (yup) and a kawaii person.

“His story is truly amazing and so eye-opening. I thought I was ‘aware’ about what people with disabilities endure. As I worked with him I realized that I didn’t know the half of it!“Tonya Bolden

“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

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.