Jennifer Keelan was determined to make a change―even if she was just a kid. She never thought her wheelchair could slow her down, but the way the world around her was built made it hard to do even simple things. Like going to school, or eating lunch in the cafeteria.
Jennifer knew that everyone deserves a voice! Then the Americans with Disabilities Act, a law that would make public spaces much more accessible to people with disabilities, was proposed to Congress. And to make sure it passed, Jennifer went to the steps of the Capitol building in Washington DC to convince them.
And, without her wheelchair, she climbed.
ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP!
My Review:
As a teacher, I love finding picture books that represent all children, including those with disabilities. I was thrilled when I came across this nonfiction biography about Jennifer Keelan. Jennifer was born with Cerebral Palsy and could only get around with the use of her wheelchair. This limited how she was able to get around her school. Jennifer knew that although she was young, her voice still mattered. She became one of the few children to participate in the demonstrations that would lead to the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Annette Bay Pimentel did a fantastic job of combining a courageous story, with true facts about the ADA. The illustrations by Nabi Ali are lovely and capture the determination and grit that Jennifer had. The beginning of the book has a forward from Jennifer herself about how she struggled to be like everyone else. The back of the book shared more information about the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as photos of Jennifer climbing up the steps.
As someone who has a mild case of Cerebral Palsy, I am so thankful for people like Jennifer who stood up and fought so that all children can attend schools, no matter what their disabilities.
Ages 5 and up
32 Pages
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