Former House leader Amy Summers writes children’s book with goal of helping harmed kids

Amy Summers, a former member of West Virginia House leadership, released a children’s book that draws on her personal life on the farm along with her time as a lawmaker trying to reform the state’s troubled foster care system. 

“Courageous Kitty,” her debut book,” was released this week.

The book began as Summers writing for her children and grandchildren. As the story developed, she focused it on children who have experienced abuse, neglect and other hardships. 

“It might be a bigger message for some children that have been through this, that have had to go to a new home and have not been cared for,” said Summers, who left the Legislature in 2024 after not seeking reelection. “It could help other children be empathetic to children that have gone through that.”

The book is described as “a heartfelt story about finding courage, learning to trust and discovering the power of hope and belonging.”

Summers said the kitten character is based on a cat that appeared at her family’s farm years ago in Mason County.

“We don’t know how this cat got here, but he was so scared, and he was so scared of humans, and it took him like a year to develop trust,” she said. 

Summers started thinking years ago about the idea for a children’s book based on the farm cat, but she developed a plot for the story after being in the Legislature.

A Republican, Summers served in the House of Delegates from 2014 to 2024 representing District 73. While in the Legislature, she served as House Majority Leader. 

Summers also chaired the Health Committee, where members often heard about the worst parts of the state’s overwhelmed foster care system and the children caught in it. The committee is tasked with oversight of the child welfare system. 

“After being in the Legislature and dealing so much with the opioid epidemic and all the children that were being abused and neglected … I decided to make him a kitten that was suffering,” she said. 

The book hopes to remind children that courage doesn’t mean never being scared and focuses on the importance of kindness and empathy.

“Courageous Kitty” is available for purchase on Amazon.

In celebration of the book’s release, Summers partnered with the West Virginia CASA Association to give readers an opportunity to donate copies of “Courageous Kitty” to children in need.

As a former CASA volunteer and longtime supporter of the organization’s mission, Summers saw the partnership as a natural extension of the book’s message.