Our Story: From One Child's Need to a Global Mission
- Persephone Mackinnon
- Jun 21
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 21
The Journey That Started It All
Sienna's story began as many do - with love, hope, and the gradual realisation that the world wasn't quite ready for her unique gifts. As the youngest of three daughters, she entered a world where her Mosaic Down Syndrome made her beautifully different, but also sometimes isolated in her uniqueness.
The Reality of Being "The Only One"
When Sienna began her educational journey at our local primary school at age 5, she found herself in a familiar yet challenging position - she was the only child with special needs in her class. Later, when she transitioned to a specialised education setting in high school, the situation flipped but remained equally isolating: she was the only student with Mosaic Down Syndrome among classmates with different special needs.
This experience illuminated a profound truth: even within special needs communities, each child's journey is uniquely their own. Sienna struggled to understand her classmates' different challenges just as they worked to understand hers. It became clear that the need for connection and understanding wasn't limited to bridging gaps between neurotypical and special needs children - it extended to building understanding across all types of differences.
The Search for Connection
From Sienna's birth, I found myself on a continuous quest to bridge the understanding gap between typically developing children and those with special needs. Traditional approaches felt inadequate - clinical explanations were too complex, generic resources missed the mark, and well-meaning but uninformed interactions often left everyone feeling uncomfortable or confused.
The breakthrough came through recognising the powerful role that illustrated books play in children's learning and emotional development. Stories have an unmatched ability to create empathy, build understanding, and make complex concepts accessible to young minds.
From Personal Solution to Universal Tool
The success of "Sienna's Super Power" revealed something remarkable: what worked for one child's story could be adapted to celebrate every child's unique journey. This realisation sparked the creation of our personalised book system - a way for any family to craft their own empowering narrative that reflects their child's specific experience.
The Science Behind Early Connection
Research consistently shows that children who interact with peers who have special needs from an early age develop more natural, authentic connections. These early positive experiences create neural pathways for empathy and acceptance that last a lifetime. Our books serve as catalysts for these crucial early interactions, providing the language and framework for meaningful connection.
A Resource for Every Family's Journey
The reality is that we all encounter special needs in our lives- whether physical, emotional, behavioural, intellectual, sensory, or developmental. These encounters often leave families, especially parents of typically developing children, searching for appropriate ways to address natural curiosity and questions.
Our Super Power Books fill this critical gap by providing families with tools to:
Transform curiosity into understanding.
Replace discomfort with confidence.
Build bridges instead of barriers.
Create inclusive communities where every child feels valued
Meet Persephone:
A Mother's Journey to Empowerment
Where Love Meets Purpose
Hi, I'm Persephone - creator of Super Power Books, devoted mother of three remarkable daughters, and passionate advocate for children with special needs. My journey into this meaningful work began sixteen years ago with the birth of my youngest daughter, Sienna, who has Mosaic Down Syndrome (MDS).
Like many parents navigating the world of special needs, I found myself learning as I went, discovering that love and determination often become your greatest guides when traditional resources fall short.
The Challenge That Sparked a Revolution
As Sienna grew, I encountered a frustrating reality that many families know too well. Despite my exhaustive searches, I couldn't find resources that truly captured Sienna's individual experience with MDS. Most people hadn't even heard of Mosaic Down Syndrome, let alone understood what it meant for a child living with this unique condition.
I watched my daughter struggle to understand herself and her place in the world, while her family, friends, classmates, and teachers lacked the tools to truly see and celebrate who she was. Traditional explanations felt inadequate, with words she would easily forget, concepts that didn't resonate, and generic information that bore no resemblance to her vibrant, complex reality.
The turning point came when I realised that what Sienna needed - what every child with special needs deserves - simply didn't exist in the world yet.
The Birth of Something Beautiful
Driven by a mother's determination and armed with nothing but love for my daughter, I decided to create what couldn't be found: a book that would truly reflect Sienna's story. Not just her challenges, but her incredible strengths, her infectious spark, and the unique way she experiences and enriches the world around her.
During the creation process, I discovered something powerful: the key wasn't to minimise her challenges or pretend they didn't exist, but to reframe them entirely. By presenting her MDS diagnosis as her very own "Sienna Super Power," everything changed. Suddenly, what made her different became what made her extraordinary.
The Transformation That Changed Everything
The impact was immediate and profound. Through storytelling crafted with intention and love, I witnessed something magical: Sienna began to see herself not as someone with limitations, but as someone with unique abilities. Her self-acceptance blossomed, her confidence soared, and most importantly - she became genuinely proud of who she was.
Each school year since, Sienna has courageously and proudly shared her book with her classmates, reading her story aloud and educating others about her Super Power. Watching her transform from a child who struggled to understand herself into a confident young person who proudly shares her journey, has been the most rewarding experience of my life.
From Personal Mission to Global Movement
What began as one mother's desperate search for the right words to help her daughter, became a calling to serve families everywhere. Witnessing the joy and empowerment that Sienna's book brought - not only to her but to her entire community, ignited something within me - a passion to ensure that every child with special needs could experience this same transformation.
I realised that Sienna's story wasn't unique in its need, only in its creation. Across the world, countless children were waiting for someone to see their Super Powers, countless families were searching for the right words, and countless communities were ready to embrace understanding if given the proper tools.
The Heart Behind Every Book
Today, every Super Power Book I create carries the same love, care, and attention that I poured into Sienna's original story. Each book is crafted with the understanding that comes from living this journey myself- knowing the sleepless nights of worry, the joy of small victories, and the fierce protectiveness that drives us to ensure our children see themselves as the heroes they truly are.
My Promise to Every Family
My mission extends far beyond creating beautiful books. In a world where so much can feel beyond our children's control, I'm committed to giving them back their power - the power to define themselves, to celebrate their uniqueness, and to share their gifts with confidence.
I believe that every child deserves to wake up knowing they're the hero of their own story. Every family deserves resources that truly reflect their reality. Every community deserves the opportunity to understand and celebrate the incredible diversity that special needs children bring to our world.
Building Tomorrow's Inclusive World
Through Super Power Books, we're not just changing individual lives - we're nurturing a generation that sees differences as superpowers, challenges as opportunities for growth, and every child as inherently valuable. We're creating communities where understanding comes naturally, where acceptance is the norm, and where every family feels supported in their unique journey.
Sixteen years ago, I was simply a mother looking for the right words to help her daughter. Today, I'm honoured to help families everywhere find their own perfect words, craft their own empowering stories, and celebrate their own incredible Super Powers.
Because every child deserves to know their superpower—and every community deserves to celebrate it.
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