A story about a boy who is a little person. At age 13, he looks more like a six-year-old.
Tommy Alvin Jenkins is 13 years old, but every time people see him, he is often subjected to stares or unkind comments. He may be a teenager, but he looks more like a six- to seven- year-old child.
Worse, he must rely on two canes to get around, plus he has a very pronounced limp because his joints aren't as strong, and he has arthritis, which causes him constant pain.
Tommy was born 13 years ago, weighing 7 pounds, and he, at first, seemed to be a normal, healthy baby, but he exhibited signs that suggested that he was not like most babies. His bones seemed shorter than normal, and he was smaller than most full-term babies, yet, he was NOT considered to be premature.
This was when the pediatrician attending to his care suggested that he be looked at by a specialist because he had signs exhibiting some form of dwarfism, or short stature.
When he was a few months old, Tommy was diagnosed with achondroplasia, which is the most common form of dwarfism. In achondroplasia, a person is said to have a normal-sized trunk, but shorter than average limbs, making them shorter than average. They also may have distinctive facial features or enlarged heads, making them seemingly out of proportion in relation to their bodies. As adults, many little people, as dwarfs are also called nowadays, do not even reach a full adult height of 4' tall--and some are even shorter than that.
At the age of 13, Tommy Jenkins was only 3 1/2' in height.
Tommy Alvin Jenkins is such a person. He is definitely smaller than average, and he resembles a kindergarten or first grade student. He often has to struggle with finding clothes that fit him properly, but this is often a problem because even though he wears little boy-sized clothes, he wants to wear clothes that are geared for kids his age. Often he has to have his clothes altered, so they can fit him properly. He also has to struggle with climbing stairs because he is often in a lot of pain, and sometimes the pain is so bad he often wakes in the middle of the night or cries out. This is especially true if the weather is cold or inclimate outside. He has to take medication to control the pain and inflammation in his joints, and he also has physical and occupational therapies twice a week so he can move around better.
Because of his physical problems, Tommy can't participate in a lot of sports, and he is very shy and quiet in nature. He knows he is different than a lot of kids his age, and this is one reason he is so shy. He feels shy when he is with his classmates at school because people are always making fun of him, and they are all so much taller than he is. He is embarrassed about having arthritis and using two canes for walking, or, for longer distances, an electric scooter he can power with his hands.
To amuse himself, Tommy likes to read, play video games, surf the Internet, draw, write stories or poems, watch tv ("Spongebob SquarePants" is his favorite show), and go to the mall with his friends if he is feeling well enough to go.
Tommy is a handsome young man. He has a big Afro hairdo, big, brown eyes that sparkle with courage and determination, and a smile that lights up his whole face. But his good looks are often overlooked because of his short stature and obvious phsyical handicaps.
When asked what he would like to be as an adult, Tommy is quick to tell you he either wants to be a lawyer or a writer. Those are two careers he knows he could do well at, and his size shouldn't be a hindrance in his dream of persuing either career.
Enchanta (50,000 words) is an imaginative young adult fantasy novel for children eight to thirteen that adults could also enjoy. The story has lots of magic, adventure and surprises.
