Just Say Hi!

By Julie Duffin
August 2024 View more Books

Eleven-year-old Malena Lindberg is proof you are never too young to be an advocate. When her younger brother, Max, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, she wanted to make sure he always felt included. “I saw people staring and talking about him and just not including him in general, so I wanted to change that,” she explains. “Instead of staring, people should just say hi. Saying hi is one way to make life beautiful.”

When she was in first grade, Lindberg created a PowerPoint presentation about Max. She began turning it into a book during the pandemic. Alejandro Echavez—the same artist who painted Max’s Make-A-Wish mural about inclusion—illustrated her book.

In addition to being a published author, the Glen Ellyn resident is a seasoned speaker, traveling to schools, libraries, and public events. “Whenever I go anywhere and read the book, people are like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is amazing. How have I never thought of this?’ The response has been really good. People are starting to be more inclusive.”

And more people are saying “Hi, Max” than ever before. “He gets a little embarrassed now that so many people do it,” she says, “but he’s also grinning at the same time.”

Photos: Amplify Publishing Group (book cover); Megan Lindberg (Max and Malena Lindberg)