Review of 8 Kid’s Books with a Character in a Wheelchair Part I
Since this is a press dedicated to focusing on disability inclusion, it is important to look at books already out in the market. For this review, Luda examines eight picture books with a character in a wheelchair. Some of this feedback is based on her personal experience as someone in a wheelchair, and some is focused on the story, character, and thematic analysis of these books.
Each purchase made with our affiliate Bookshop link (in the title of each book mentioned) goes to support authors, illustrators, and staff with disabilities! Books that aren’t on Bookshop have been linked to Goodreads.
Aside from the title really bothering me (and not having anything to do with the story), I liked it. The first drawback was in the beginning when the father said to the main character “Just because he’s in wheelchair doesn’t mean he’s any different than the rest of you. He probably just needs some special help once in awhile.” It would have been better if the main character, who said he’d never met anyone in a wheelchair before, came to the conclusion that the new critter wasn’t any different than him on his own. Other than that, I liked seeing the perspective of another student interacting with a character in a wheelchair. And even though the character in the wheelchair was the main focus of the story, he was not the main character. I think this shift in storytelling from a non-disabled kid worked, and it built the world of a kid who, for the first time, was experiencing what it was like to interact with someone in a wheelchair.
Zoom! by Robert Munsch (2004)
If you want to check out the review videos, there are videos on Youtube. If you want more book reviews, you can find them in Review of 8 Kid’s Books with a Character in a Wheelchair Part II. Do you have picture books featuring a character in a wheelchair that you like or don’t? Let us know in the comments below or on social media. #includas #IncludasReviews