“Joey and the Joy Factory!” is the follow-up children’s story of the introductory book “Joey the Can-Do Kangaroo.”
“It was important to follow up our first book with a story that looked at how Joey actually ended up at his new home, the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields, which we affectionately call ‘The Joy Factory,’” said Caddell, who explained the new book “takes us on a wonderful journey where Joey discovers incredible friends who love, accept, and encourage him in ways he’s never seen before.”
That includes making Joey feel like “a somebody” at the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields, and Caddell said, “We wanted those character traits to shine through in this fun tale.”
The debut book about Joey came out in April 2022, telling the story of a baby kangaroo who overcame a disability affecting his legs by wearing braces, an assistive device used by many athletes at the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields.
“Ever since we unveiled Joey, we’ve been amazed by the reaction and response — especially from our special needs all-stars,” said the Nuxhall Foundation Executive Director Tyler Bradshaw. “Our athletes see themselves in Joey, and they gravitate to him as a result. The joy that Joey adds to everything we do is inspirational, and we know this book is only going to add to the excitement.”
The story in the new book finds Joey inspired by kind friends he met during the Kickball-a-Palooza from the debut story. Curiosity takes hold and he wants to discover where they learned how to be both empathetic and optimistic. Joey finds his way to the Miracle League Fields and witnesses special needs athletes playing baseball while being cheered on by a community of supporters.
The book also pays tribute to a pair of Miracle League legends at the Nuxhall fields: Nuxhall Foundation President and Board Chairman Kim Nuxhall, who is Koala Kim, and foundation Vice Chairman Larry Tischler, who is Tisch the Turtle. Nuxhall said this new book reinforces the championship-caliber character traits that made his dad, the late Joe Nuxhall, a beloved member of not only his hometowns of Hamilton and Fairfield, but Reds Nation. Nuxhall, a Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer, was a pitcher for the team and longtime announcer.
“Chad Caddell is a dynamo when it comes to character education,” said Nuxhall, a physical education teacher who taught character education to his students for years at Fairfield City Schools. “The books he has written about Joey help to illustrate so many important character lessons in the minds of our readers: being determined even when the world says you can’t do something, showing compassion and concern for others, leading with integrity and kindness, and always lifting others up with our actions, words, and behaviors.”
Like the inaugural book in the series, every dollar from every “Joey and the Fun Factory!” sold supports The Nuxhall Foundation, the legacy foundation of Joe Nuxhall.
“The world we live in needs more reminders of the good that can occur when communities of character come together to include everyone in big, miraculous dreams,” said Nuxhall. “We hope that this new book helps to keep that dream burning bright within the hearts and minds of every person who reads it.”
“Joey and The Joy Factory!” is available online at www.nuxhallmiracleleague.org/joeybook or on gamedays at The Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields, 4850 Groh Lane, Fairfield. The book is $10 (plus shipping if ordered online). Bulk quantities can also be purchased, but people should contact Bradshaw at tyler@nuxhallmiracleleague.org.
“This place really is a Joy Factory, and that story deserves to be told,” Caddell said of the Miracle League Fields. “At this place, everyone belongs, everyone is celebrated, and everyone is a part of a community overflowing with dreams, hopes, and miracles. That’s what powers the Joy Factory, and that’s what Joey’s story is all about.”
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