Allison Lombardo noticed it after reading the first few pages: almost every character depicted in the children’s book “Super J and the Power of Love” wears a wide, bright smile.
Illustrations in the book show happy people, whose lives — and smiles — are made brighter by the presence of the story’s superhero, a small boy nicknamed “Super J.” He has a superpower: sharing God’s unconditional love and joy with others. Super J also has Down syndrome.
The book especially hits home for Lombardo of St. Clement Pope and Martyr Parish in Rockaway Township. Author Jennifer Nelson, Family Faith Formation coordinator of Sacred Heart Parish in Rockaway, drew inspiration for the Super J character from Lombardo’s son, Jackson, now 16, who also has Down syndrome.
Published in November, the “Super J” book brings love, joy, and hope to the challenging subject of Down syndrome. It shows Super J’s parents choosing love over their fear of the future by following God’s will: allowing him to be born.
In short, rhyming verse, the book depicts Super J’s capacity to love, such as lighting up a classroom with his smile and comforting his grieving parents. The 24-page hardcover book emphasizes that God made everyone for a purpose. Sam Estrada, a Catholic, created the illustrations.
“The book is beautifully written. The illustrations are bold, colorful, and fun — perfect for children,” said Lombardo, a married mother of three. She thinks the book captures Jackson’s friendly personality and the inherent value of all children, including those with disabilities. “Jackson is funny. He is empathic. He also is social. God gave Jackson to me for a reason. I knew some good would come from it, but I didn’t realize how much good.”
In the past few months, Nelson has started spreading the pro-life message of “Super J” across the United States. She is raising funds to place a book in every Catholic elementary school in every state through a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign she established.
So far, Nelson has collected $1,500, which covered 75 schools in North Carolina, Alaska, and Alabama. Each $20 donation pays for the book and postage.
One recipient was Holy Family School in Huntsville, Ala., which thanked Nelson and the book’s donors on social media. “We can’t wait to share this wonderful book with the children and to continue discussions about diversity and differently-abled people,” the school posted.
Nelson, a married mother of seven, met Allison and Jackson when he was 5 at Sacred Heart’s Mommy and Me Bible Study.
Unlike the character in the “Super J” book, Allison didn’t know Jackson had Down syndrome until after his birth. He has overcome many obstacles but still faces some motor skills challenges. He is a rising high school junior, who attends a mix of special education and mainstream classes.
Jackson told Allison his favorite scene in the book is when Super J is hugging his mom, who is crying, “because I love you and I love to hug you.” He also thought it was ‘cool’ and ‘nice’ that mom’s bible-study friend, ‘Miss Jen,’ wrote a book about him,” Allison said.
Nelson said, “Readers will love the ‘Super J’ book and its messages of inclusion and respect for life — that everyone is different and worthy of love and dignity.”
Jennifer Nelson appeared on episode 48 of Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney’s Beyond The Beacon podcast to talk about a ministry she founded, the Sisterhood of the Traveling Relics of St. Gianna. It’s a group of mothers of children on earth and in heaven, married women longing for children, and single women longing to serve others. St. Gianna Beretta Molla bonds them together. Access the podcast at https://beyond.beaconnj.org/2149965/14731281
To contribute to the GoFundMe, email Nelson at superjthebook@gmail.com to be emailed the link.
