Toronto Island author publishes historical fiction about child with disability

A Toronto Island author is celebrating the release of her new book.

Let's Go, Darby! is based on a true story about a boy in the 1800s who was disabled and made a harrowing journey to The Hospital for Sick Children, now known as SickKids Hospital, for a surgery.

Linda Rosenbaum says her aim is to advocate for the inclusion of children with illnesses and disabilities in literature.

"I think a lot of kids who are ill or have disabilities will relate to it, but what I'm finding is that adults are really enjoying it too because there's so much Toronto history in it," said Rosenbaum, who is the mother of a child with a disability.

The middle grade book tells the story of Georgie Titus, who is 10 years old and has clubfoot. He's unable to walk and gets bullied by kids at school.

Georgie hears about a new children's hospital in Toronto where they "perform miracles." He is determined to go and makes a 65-kilometre journey from Uxbridge by dogsled to the hospital's front doors.

During his months-long stay at the hospital and its summer home on Toronto Island, miracles do happen, mostly unexpected. With the help of his beloved nurse and first-ever friends, Georgie gains the courage and confidence he needs to take the next big steps in his life. 

"It's historical fiction and you've got to get everything right of the period that you're writing about," Rosenbaum said. 

"So I spent virtually six months at the archives at SickKids trying to get all the background."

Sherry Caldwell, director of the Ontario Disability Coalition, says books like Lets Go, Darby! help kids with disabilities feel represented.

"It's really important, especially now, that people are thinking about our children and that they're seeing themselves in the world and can visualize themselves in all sorts of roles and feel included," she said.

This month, SickKids Hospital marked 150 years.

The hospital started as an 11-room house with just six iron cots, rented by a group of women. Rosenbaum says the book is also intended to recognize the hospital's contributions to health care.