GENRE: Diverse, Character Driven, Biography
WORDS: 574
Query:
Dear PB Party Team,
I am excited to share with you my 574-word picture book KAREN KEPT SWIMMING about long-distance swimmer Karen Gaffney, who became the first woman with Down syndrome to successfully cross the English Channel.
When Karen was born in 1977, doctors told her parents she would accomplish little and encouraged them to institutionalize her. But like all grownups who love a child, Karen’s mom and dad saw something special in their bright-eyed girl. As a baby, Karen loved the warm hug of an underwater dip in the tub. As a kid, she glided through races like the 50-meter freestyle. As a young adult, she conquered open water swims in places like Boston Harbor, Lake Tahoe, and even the English Channel.
KAREN KEPT SWIMMING tells the story of a young woman who pushed against society’s low expectations and pursued her dreams with determination, hard work, a little help, and a lot of heart. Just as in books like Brayden Speaks Up by Brayden Harrington, Rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, Listen by Shannon Stocker, and Unbound by Joyce Scott and Melissa Sweet, Karen’s story inspires kids of all abilities to dream beyond limitations—real or imagined.
Although nonfiction books can sometimes feel dry, KAREN KEPT SWIMMING uses playful language, crisp sentences, and repetition to capture Karen’s spirit and story, making it especially accessible to young readers of all abilities.
Karen’s delightful story has been an inspiration to my son, Kaleb, an aspiring athlete who also has Down syndrome. As Karen, her mom Barb, and I worked on this manuscript, Kaleb came to recognize his own story in Karen’s.
I am a writer, editor, teacher and Down syndrome advocate who writes for both children and adults. My articles and essays about disability, belonging, education, and parenting have been published online and in print since 2019. I am a contributing writer to and the managing editor of Spark, the magazine of Calvin University. A certified teacher, I also provide academic coaching services to international and neurodiverse students as well as teach creative writing and journalism.
When not teaching, editing, or inventing new stories, I enjoy spending time with my husband, three kids, one dog, and four chickens. As New Englanders, we love to explore the region’s rich history, rocky coastlines, and rolling mountains—though we usually leave the chickens at home!
Thank you for opening this window of opportunity for emerging writers.
Excerpt:
Karen Gaffney was born on November 3, 1977. Everything about Karen delighted her parents.
“She’s not an ORDINARY child,” the doctors said. “She has Down syndrome. She won’t tie her own shoes. She won’t spell her own name. You can send her away.”
Karen’s parents refused to listen. Instead, they brought their daughter home.
Karen loved water. At bath time, she held her breath, dipping under for a warm hug.
What inspired you to write this story & what do you have in common with it:
In 2011, my son was born with Down syndrome. When he was small, I remember scanning library shelves for stories that would reflect his lived experience in positive ways. Unfortunately, most picture books about Down syndrome were written with typically developing children in mind—to teach rather than celebrate. Quite simply: I wrote the book I wished to find. Today, my son benefits from the important contributions of advocates like Karen. He attends school, plays sports, acts, and enjoys friends. He has his own hopes and dreams; and because he recognizes himself in Karen’s story, he believes those dreams are possible.
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