Hospital stays can be stressful and overwhelming for a child of any age. Many children are scared of the hospital environment and find it difficult to cope with their illness alone. At Pages for Pediatrics, we are committed to bringing emotional support and upliftment to pediatric patients through distribution of our original storybooks. Our first book, titled “Tommy the Twig”, addresses misconceptions surrounding childhood physical disability and prosthetics. The story walks the reader through Tommy’s journey as a tomato plant who struggles to grow as tall as his tomato plant friends. He takes advice from the other vegetables, but nothing seems to work. One day, a storm breaks out, wreaking havoc on the garden. As the sky clears up, Tommy notices a twig that has fallen next to him. Using the twig as a support, Tommy wraps his vines around it and starts to grow over time. He realizes that his difference is not a flaw, and that everyone uses different ways to thrive. Tommy’s journey conveys the message that physical disabilities do not undermine one’s capabilities. Prosthetics – as represented by the twig – are just a tool to help people “grow” to their potential. This summer, we will be donating copies of “Tommy and the Twig” to libraries of 5 hospitals across California: UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Cedar Sinai’s Pediatric Department, Stanford’s Lucile Packard, and UCSF Benioff. At Pages for Pediatrics, we believe in the power of stories. By distributing our books free of cost to children’s hospitals nationwide, we hope to make a difference in the lives of pediatric patients one story at a time. We are also currently in the process of expanding our story collection and plan to distribute these books by Thanksgiving.