A devoted father has penned a children’s book about being ‘different’ after his daughter was bullied for her unusual toe-walking condition.
Dr. Christopher Knott-Craig from Memphis, Tennessee, began telling eight-year-old Cate bedtime tales to stop her from feeling embarrassed and to teach her to ignore classmates who believed she was ‘attention seeking’.
Cate started toe walking at three years old- a condition which shortens the tendons, and she was soon forced to wear casts, resulting in bullying from her classmates.
But the stories helped Cate come to terms with her condition and are now inspiring other kids to accept and appreciate their unique qualities.
Dr. Christopher Knott-Craig, 64, (above) from Memphis, Tennessee, wrote a book about unique animals to help Cate (left) overcome bullies who teased her over her toe-walking condition
Cate started toe walking – a condition which causes children to run, dance and move on their tiptoes instead of the entire foot – as a toddler.
By the age of six, the ailment had become so severe that it caused her tendons to shorten, preventing her from being able to walk on the flats of her feet and leaving her with balance issues.
As a result the little girl was forced to have painful surgery to stretch out and lengthen the restricted fibrous connective tissue.
After having both legs in a cast, was able to walk normally at the age of seven, nine months ago.
Cate started toe walking at three-years-old- a condition which shortens the tendons, and she was soon forced to wear casts, resulting in bullying from her classmates (seen aged six in 2015)
Speaking about her condition, 64-year-old Chris, a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon, said: ‘The original genesis was that Cate was a toe-walker, it’s not all that uncommon and most time they outgrow it as they get taller and heavier.
‘But Cate didn’t outgrow it, she stood on her toes and kids at school made fun of her, they said she was trying to get attention and teachers at school thought she was fidgety.’
To help focus her, Chris started telling the little girl bedtime stories about quirky animals.
‘She wouldn’t sit still and conform to normal things, so at night time I related that to an animal that was different and a little weird in the stories I told her,’ he explained.
Chris has made an empowering children’s book about being different after his daughter was bullied for having an unusual toe walking condition
‘Cate didn’t outgrow it, she stood on her toes and kids at school made fun of her, they said she was trying to get attention and teachers at school thought she was fidgety,’ Chris said of her walking condition (seen aged six)
The bedtime stories sparked an idea, and Chris, originally from Oudtshoorn, South Africa, decided to transformed the empowering stories into ‘The Weird Animal Club’ book series.
‘The whole narrative of the stories was focused around the animals who made friends with other animals, who were a little strange and became the ‘Weird Animal Club’, he explained.
‘Cate loved the stories, in retrospect, looking at the story now it’s about diversity and acceptance.
‘But initially it started off as a father telling stories to his daughter to make her feel good about herself and not like a ‘weird person’ for walking on her toes.
‘The stories did wonders for her self-esteem and she eventually encouraged me to share my tales with other kids.
Cate started toe walking as a toddler, a condition which causes children to run, dance and move on their tiptoes instead of the entire foot (seen having casts put on her feet aged six to help her walk on flat feet)
Cate needed two casts on her feet after battling with toe walking to keep her feet at an angle to allow her to walk and stand flat footed
‘Both her and I want to make sure others can face differences with confidence and compassion.
‘The analysis came later, once other adults read the books, it’s about diversity and differences, showing it’s okay to be different.
‘We aren’t all cookie cutter people and should embrace our difference because they make us special.’
Chris believes his passion for storytelling stemmed from his upbringing in South Africa, where instead of engaging with electronic devices or TV, people would talk and tell tales.
the stories helped Cate, now eight-years-old, and are inspiring other kids to accept and appreciate their unique qualities (seen seven months after surgery aged 7 standing on flat feet)
Many years later, what started off as routine bedtime stories, made-up on the spot to empower Cate would be developed into a book.
He said: ‘I told these stories off the top of my head, every night a new story, then last year I had a period of time-off.
‘I needed to do something to keep busy and my wife said, ‘Why don’t you turn the stories into a book’ the ones that you told Cate.
‘By then, I had forgotten half of the stories, but thankfully Cate remembered everyone, as well as the animals and the names – if I got anything wrong she would correct me.’
He started the project with Cate’s assistance and even let her draw the initial sketches that illustrator Simon Goodway, from England, UK, would use for the book.
To help focus her, Chris started telling the little girl bedtime stories about quirky animals- which he then turned into a book series entitled ‘The Weird Animal Club’
Since the book’s release, Chris says his daughter is delighted with the finished work and even encourages him to read them to her classmates (seen in 2017 during her recovery)
The Weird Animal Club: It’s Ok to be Different series, tells the tale of a diverse group of animals each with a unique physical appearance that bond and grow in confidence together.
It aims to show that differences aren’t disqualifying factors when making friends and that individual qualities should be cherished and celebrated.
Since the book’s release, Chris says his daughter is delighted with the finished work and even encourages him to read them to her classmates.
Chris said: ‘They have a Parents’ Day, where one of the kids parents come to school, you spend 45 minutes with the class and when it was my turn, she wanted me to read these books.
‘If I mispronounced a word or didn’t pause at the right point she would tell me, it was quite funny, she has complete ownership of the book.’
Chris now has sequels ‘The Weird Animal Club goes to school’ and ‘at Halloween’ in the pipeline.
‘I told those stories to comfort my daughter, but it’s became therapeutic for a wide range of people with ailments,’ Chris said of the books (Cate seen six months after her surgery walking normally after struggling with toe walking)
He says that he’s noticed children with other medical problems and conditions connecting to characters in the book.
Chris added: ‘The interesting thing is one of the spin-offs of the book, the kids with heart disease and other problems relate so well to it.
‘It started off as being about Cate and her toe walking, but kids who have had heart surgery with scars on their chests, or cancer patients losing their hair, have all related to it too.
‘I would like to say I was very smart and anticipated it, but that’s nonsense, I told those stories to comfort my daughter, but it’s became therapeutic for a wide range of people with ailments.’