Fast Friends

Every child has a voice―if we take the time to listen.

Tyson does everything fast―so fast he often disrupts the class. His teacher is always saying, "Too fast, Tyson!" And often he ends up playing all alone. Suze, the new girl, is nonverbal with special needs. Sometimes her classmates don't know what those needs are. But Tyson understands. Taking the time to interpret her cues, Tyson forms a special friendship with Suze, and teaches his classmates what it means to listen and understand others.

Claudia Dávila's bright, energetic art captures the joy of moving at your own speed and connecting with a friend who can ride alongside.

Born in Santiago, Chile, Claudia now makes her home in Toronto with her husband, author/illustrator Michael Cho, and their two kids.

Heather M. O'Connor is an author, editor and a freelance writer who has worked in many different disciplines. Her first job ever was as a library page. This gave her a great understanding of the Dewey Decimal System, but often as she shelved the books, she discovered new books and stashed them under the cart to take home. Today, she is a devoted library patron with cards from four different libraries.

Heather lives in Peterborough, Ontario. A new book about Suze and her classmates is coming soon!