New pair of shoes settles a haunting question in Albany writer's first children's book

Feb. 13—ALBANY — An Albany author is hoping her first illustrated book will give other parents and children insights into some of the challenges autistic children face as well as the creative ways they interact with the world.

In "There's a Stinky Monster in My Shoes," Melissa Hudson relates a story of an autistic boy who thinks his issues with wearing shoes is due to a monster living inside them.

The book delves into how autistic children relate to the world, and the main character, Curtis, is named for her son. The story draws on her real-life experiences with Curtis, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4.

"A child with autism has unique ways of learning and viewing the world," she said. "They have imaginations, fears and creativity that many may not understand. They don't always know how to express their fears and imaginations."

Autism affects the central nervous system, and individuals on the autism spectrum can have symptoms that include difficulty with communication and social interactions, obsessive interests and repetitive behaviors.

For Hudson's son, one notable behavior has been his difficulty with wearing shoes. He often reacts, she noted, by taking his shoes off.

"He doesn't like to wear shoes," she said. "He thinks something is always bothering his feet. I'm always getting calls to bring him a new pair of shoes or pick him up from school.

"My son's intellectual abilities are why his feet are so big or his shoes, so I thought this was an interesting concept. He still to this day doesn't like to wear shoes."

The book's character named Curtis also has questions about his shoes.

"He understands something is wrong and there may be a monster in his shoes," Hudson said. "That's their way of expressing themselves through their imaginations."

In the book, a larger pair of shoes helps Curtis realize there is a less-haunting explanation.

"Once he receives the new shoes, he notices the difference in how the shoes fit," she said. "He's able to run and play. He realizes there wasn't a monster."

Hudson, a widow who holds master's degrees in fine arts in English and creative writing and education and a bachelor's degree in psychology, works as a substitute teacher in the Lee County and Dougherty County school systems.

Her previous book "The Female Fool: 10 Reasons Why You Aren't Attracting a Good Christian Man," was nominated for a 2012 Georgia Author of the Year Award.

"There's a Stinky Monster In My Shoes" will be released on Sunday and is available online in paperback e-book versions through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Target and Walmart. Readers also can order the book at Books-A-Million, Hudson said.

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