The children in Zobie’s Kids stories are imagined, but children living with disabilities and special health needs are very real—in every community. UNICEF estimates that nearly 240 million children worldwide have a disability.

Maddie’s friends reflect a variety of abilities, health conditions, backgrounds, and experiences. Through friendship, kindness, and imaginative adventures with Zobie, their stories share a simple message: every child deserves to feel valued just as they are. Because “different” is not “less than.” 

Meet the kids from our published books and adventures still to come.

Maddie Skryber, a smiling girl with long wavy brown hair, wearing a yellow shirt and holding a red heart pillow.

Maddie Skryber 

Maddie loves to read and make up stories. She brought Zobie, her lovable blue dragon, to life in a crazy dream. Maddie drives a little blue KIDS CAR. 

Kindness leads the way as she and Zobie set out on adventures to help friends with special needs be winners. Maddie and Zobie know that ALL kids are winners!

Buy The Dragon Who Learned How to Drive
Reggie Jonlong, a boy with short curly black hair, freckles, and a red shirt.

Reggie Jonlong

Reggie loves Christmastime, especially decorating a real pine tree with Grandma. But this year, his severe asthma means they can’t have one in the house. To cheer him up, Maddie creates a story in which she, Reggie, and Zobie visit a snowy tree farm—and a little dragon magic helps his Christmas wish come true.

Buy Reggie's Book Now
Annie Bilbert, a smiling girl with blond hair in a topknot, wearing a blue shirt and a cat pendant.

Annie Bilbert

Maddie's friend  Annie has a skin condition and cannot have a cat at home. In a story Maddie creates for her, Annie joins Maddie and Zobie as caregivers at Hi-Happy Shelter for Animals with Special Needs.


Brett Boyko, a blond boy wearing blue overalls.

Brett Boyko

Born without a left arm, Brett could still fish when his dad hooked the bait. His dad is gone now; Mom works two jobs; who will help Brett? Maddie dreams up a hilarious fishing adventure with Zobie, giving Brett a boat ride he’ll never forget.

Beanie Curtis, a smiling girl with brown hair in two braids and a yellow shirt.

Beanie Curtis

Beanie loves jelly beans, hence her nickname, and swapping secrets. She has Down syndrome, and there’s much more to know about her. She jumps at Maddie’s invitation to spend time together with Zobie.

Neesha Kusmar, a smiling girl with long black hair and bangs, wearing an orange shirt.

Neesha Kusmar

Maddie can’t wait to visit Neesha and her family in the city. Roller Park, shopping, girl time. Neesha’s face has healed from her burns. Bangs cover scars, but she still feels self-conscious until Maddie writes Zobie into the picture for a hilarious visit to the Science Museum.

Yoshi Ito, a boy with short black hair wearing a red and black baseball shirt.

Yoshi Ito

Yoshi loves baseball, but the curve in Yoshi’s back makes it hard to play. It's painful to hear kids make fun of him. Maddie’s magic pencil goes to work. In her story, Zobie swoops in as Yoshi steps up to bat, grabs the pitch, and flies it over the fence. Homerun! The crowd cheers the winning score.

Georgie Roundtree, a boy with short twists wearing a gray hoodie.

Georgie Roundtree

Georgie joins Maddie’s family for a camping trip, where a new friendship becomes an adventure. He has been feeling lonely and needs support at school. In Maddie’s imagined story, Georgie rides high on Zobie’s wing during a hike, and together they become heroes with a surprise rescue.

Angus Brownbee, a smiling blond boy wearing a brown wide-brimmed hat and a checked shirt, with trees and mountains behind him.

Angus Brownbee

Angus is an Australian boy with leukemia who is finding it hard to feel hopeful. When he meets Maddie and Zobie, friendship and an imaginative adventure bring some welcome joy to his days. His story celebrates kindness, connection, and finding moments of possibility during difficult times.

Rachelle Ryan, a girl with voluminous curly brown hair wearing a teal sweater.

Rachelle Ryan

Rachelle joins Maddie and Zobie for an imagined hiking adventure to a cabin full of surprises. She comes from a multiracial family and has been hurt by other children’s teasing. In the story Maddie creates for her, exploring and making new colors help Rachelle discover that she belongs just as she is.

Lucinia Lopez, a smiling girl with long brown hair, seated in a wheelchair.

Lucinia Lopez

Lucinia “Nia” Lopez is an artistic girl who uses a wheelchair. Nia and Maddie become fast friends at Art Camp. When bullies make fun of Nia’s art, Maddie makes up a story where Zobie helps Nia run circles around them and win the Art Camp’s biggest prize.

Ziggy Sawstar, a smiling boy with tousled brown hair, wearing a white basketball jersey with dark blue trim.

Ziggy Sawstar

Ziggy would love to join the Bears Afterschool Basketball Club. Ziggy has ADHD and is short for his age. He wants a chance to show what he can do on the court. Maddie makes Ziggy the MVP in a story where she and Zobie put an Invisi-busy-button to work. 

Laylia Attia, a girl with long brown hair in pigtails, wearing a red headband, yellow earrings, and a patterned top.

Laylia Attia

Laylia is bullied because of vision trouble. She bumps into things, and is afraid to go on a school field trip until Maddie and Zobie offer to be her buddies. Sweet surprises delight readers.

Katrina Olstem, a smiling girl with long blond hair and freckles, wearing a pumpkin shirt, surrounded by autumn leaves.

Katrina Olstem

Katrina is a shy foster child upset that Mom won't let her trick-or-treat because of Juvenile Diabetes. In Maddie’s imagined adventure, Zobie and Maddie take Katrina out for a wild Halloween where the treats are better than sweet, and trickier.

Lucas Okpik, a smiling boy with short black hair, wearing a blue coat with a white fur-trimmed hood.

Lucas Okpik

An Alaskan native, Lucas learns that he cannot attend space camp because of his epilepsy and heart trouble. Maddie imagines an adventure in which she and Zobie help Lucas suit up as an astronaut and head into space.

Sunny Greenlove, a smiling girl with long brown hair, wearing a green shirt and a hearing aid visible beside her ear.

Sunny Greenlove

Sunny loves to be outdoors, but strains to hear laughing seagulls and whistling winds at the ocean due to her hearing loss. She feels left out until Maddie and Zobie make Sunny smile big at the beach.