Tongue Tied

Jason Heffler is an author whose stories help young readers overcome speech disorders and fears around speaking. Drawing from his own childhood experiences growing up with a stutter, he writes uplifting tales that build confidence in kids who lack self-esteem.

As a child, Heffler was cruelly bullied for his stutter, knocking his self-acceptance. But he eventually decided to "own" his speech disorder rather than be defined by it. This hard-won self-love became the driving inspiration behind his writing career, crafting relatable narratives that empower young people to embrace who they are, like Tongue Tied.

Cadence was a kind and caring chameleon, but she was shy because of a speech problem that made it tough to get her words out. She constantly stumbled over her own tongue and camouflaged into the forest because she was scared she wouldn't fit in with the other animals. Through eye-opening encounters with a compassionate cricket friend and a mean frog bully, this is a story about how Cadence learned that her speech did not hold her back from saying or doing amazing things.

In addition to parents, Tongue Tied may be useful for speech-language pathologists, therapists and special education teachers to illustrate how speech issues do not define you. Children can not only learn to live with it, but also own it to live a very happy and fulfilling life.