Rolling Along: The Story of Taylor and His Wheelchair (Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Learning Book)
Kindergarten-Grade 3-A glimpse into the life of a young boy with cerebral palsy. Taylor describes his condition, aspects of his daily activities at home and at school, and his desire for independence. While he has been trained to use a walker, he prefers a wheelchair as it enables him to go faster and not tire as quickly. The book also includes some discussion of his physical-therapy sessions. At times, Taylor's frustrations come through, as when the illustrator shows him in his wheelchair facing a rather high set of stairs. However, in the end, the message is that he enjoys the same activities as his twin (and other children). In her mixed-media illustrations, Simmonds has superimposed photographs of the individuals' faces onto drawings, creating an interesting collage effect. This title is better suited for younger children than Alden Carter's Stretching Ourselves (Albert Whitman, 2000).Margaret C. Howell, West Springfield Elementary School, VACopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.