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Reviewed by Carmen Tenorio for Readers' Favorite
Off to School in My Wheelie Chair by Charlene McIver is a picture book about the mobility experience of a young schoolboy who moves around from one place to another with the aid of his manual wheelchair. He sees going to school as an adventure as he overcomes all sorts of challenges along the way. From uphill pathways, splashy puddles, and a frisky puppy, to a passing biker, nothing can dampen the spirit of our differently-abled protagonist as he uses the strength, skills, and confidence that have always helped him successfully navigate his manual wheelchair on the way to school.
Being in a wheelchair is not a limitation but more of a challenge and even a tool that can help build independence and self-reliance without losing a sense of fun and adventure. We see a confident, and smart young boy who has figured it out. He knows that it's his determination, unique strengths, and abilities that give him the confidence to travel in a wheelchair and enjoy his time mingling and working with his "normal" classmates in school. Winendra Adi's well-done illustrations complement the text by showing the reader a good visual perspective of someone who navigates everyday life as a differently-abled child. The book is not only an affirmation and confidence booster for those who are like our wheelchair-bound hero, but it is also for those who are not like him.
The rhythmic language makes it an ideal story for younger readers, who like their adult counterparts, need something that can help them understand that having an impairment does not make anyone different or less energetic than any typical, able-bodied person when it comes to having friends and having fun with one's surroundings. Recommended for children of all ages.
