Diverse Literary Adventures
Our Mission
At Kurth Books, we are dedicated to creating inclusive children’s literature where the story is the focus—not the disability. Our books naturally include characters of all abilities, helping to foster understanding and connection among readers while allowing children with disabilities to see themselves reflected as the heroes of their own stories.
Every Child Deserves a Story
Andrea Kurth
Andrea Kurth, a Behavior Consultant and former Special Education Teacher, is passionate about creating inclusive children’s literature. After recognizing that her students with disabilities were underrepresented in books, she set out to change that. Determined to make a difference, she created a fun series of books where the story is the focus, not the disability, and where adventure can be found on every page.
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Her chapter books are designed to engage younger children while also being accessible and exciting for older readers who may experience challenges with reading. Andrea’s passion for inclusivity also led her to write a picture book with the same mission—designed so everyone can participate in the reading experience, using repetitive lines and core vocabulary to support a wide range of learners.
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When Andrea isn’t teaching or writing, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her co-author sons.
Owen Kurth
Owen was a creative seventh grader when he helped write Zac's Mighty Wheels and the Giant Problem and is now a dedicated high school student active in his school’s theatre troupe. He loves spending time with friends, performing and directing on stage, and participating in various clubs while staying focused on academics. He dreams of pursuing a career in either the film industry or politics.
Braden Kurth
Braden co-authored Zac's Mighty Wheels and the Case of the Missing Grannies as a high school junior and is now a sophomore at Michigan State University. He loves spending time with friends and family, engaging in campus clubs, and discussing life's big questions. With aspirations of becoming a computer engineer and entrepreneur, he hopes to make a meaningful impact on the world.
Linda Mischley
Linda, co-author of It's Your Turn, is a mother of three children, one being Andrea Kurth, and the youngest, Bobby, who has 5P/Cri-Du-Chat Syndrome. She is also a proud grandmother of three, including Braden and Owen mentioned above. She has held this story in her heart for over 20 years, waiting for the day to show it to the world. She is ready to inspire the next family by showing that no matter the ability, we can all celebrate each other.
How I Became an Author (Andrea Kurth)
Around 2007, I started teaching Zac—a hilarious kid who left a lasting impression on everyone he met. While teaching him, I felt God telling me to write a book that truly represented him. Zac used a wheelchair and had Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a degenerative condition. Sadly, he passed away five months before the book became a reality, but I know he’d be thrilled that kids with disabilities are finally seeing themselves in stories—especially with him as the superhero.
I also wanted to highlight other disabilities and chose two former students, Anna and Cody. Anna, who has cerebral palsy, uses leg braces and a crutch, while Cody has Down syndrome. Both are spunky kids I loved teaching. I wish I could include all my students, but after 25 years, too many have left an impact on my heart, so I decided to stop using real-life names, except for one last person.
My brother, Bobby, inspired me to become a special education teacher. He has a severe intellectual disability called Cri-du-chat syndrome and is featured in our second book. Bobby is now 45 years old and continues to bring joy to those around him. While Cody’s character doesn’t show an intellectual disability, I wanted Bobby’s to, and I believe we found the right balance without making the book about the disability. He also is the main character in It's Your Turn! where we put subtle hints of his syndrome like striped socks and his use of sign language.
Every child is important and should be represented in books. That is our mission. So let's get reading!