Jewel Kats facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jewel Kats
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| Born | Michelle Meera Katyal October 24, 1978 Toronto |
| Died | January 7, 2016 (aged 37) Toronto |
| Period | 2010-16 |
 Literature portal |
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Michelle Meera Katyal (born October 24, 1978 – died January 7, 2016) was a Canadian author. She wrote books for children using the pen name Jewel Kats. Jewel wrote more than ten books. Her stories even inspired the creation of the first Archie Comics character with a disability in 2014.
Contents
Early Life and School
When Jewel was nine years old, she was in a car accident. This accident caused her to use a wheelchair for moving around. After finishing high school at Milliken Mills High School, she went on to study at the University of Toronto Mississauga and George Brown College.
Her Writing Career
Jewel started her career by writing advice columns for six years. This work helped her earn a scholarship from Harlequin Enterprises. After some time, Jewel became a children's author.
After her first book came out, Jewel began a series of eight books. This series was called Fairy Ability Tales. In these books, she retold classic fairy tales. But she added characters who had disabilities. In 2016, Jewel's last two books were published after she passed away. These books were Jenny & Her Dog Both Fight Cancer: A Tale of Chemotherapy and Caring and Prince Preemie. They were published by Loving Healing Press.
Books She Wrote
- What Do You Use To Help Your Body?: Maggie Explores the World of Disabilities (2011)
- Cinderella's Magical Wheelchair: An Empowering Fairy Tale (2011)
- Word Search Divas (2011)
- Teddy Bear Princess: A Story about Sharing and Caring (2012)
- DitzAbled Princess: A Comical Diary Inspired by Real Life (2013)
- The Princess and the Ruby: An Autism Fairy Tale (2013)
- Snow White's Seven Patches: A Vitiligo Fairy Tale (2013)
- The Princess Panda Tea Party: A Cerebral Palsy Fairy Tale (2014)
- Miss Popular Steals the Show: Girls in Wheelchairs Rule! (2014)
- Hansel and Gretel: A Fairy Tale with a Down Syndrome Twist (2014)
- Jenny & Her Dog Both Fight Cancer: A Tale of Chemotherapy and Caring (2016)
- Prince Preemie: A Tale of a Tiny Puppy who Arrives Early (2016)
Her Passing
Jewel Kats passed away on January 7, 2016. This happened due to problems after a surgery.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Jewel met Archie Comics artist Dan Parent. Because of her, the first Archie character with a disability was created in 2014. The next year, Jewel took part in the opening ceremony for the 2015 Pan American Games.
In 2017, Loving Healing Press created a special award. It is called the Jewel Kats Special Needs Award. This award honors Jewel's memory. The contest is managed by Reader Views. Authors can submit books that tell a story about a child. The story must show the child overcoming a mental or physical challenge.
