Common Sense Media Review
By Mandie Caroll
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Inspiring story of activist and disability rights movement.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Jennifer isn't held back by her wheelchair, until she encounters curbs that are like cliffs, stairs that block her ability to get into her school building, and other children who tell her she doesn't belong. But she knows she deserves to be in school with all her peers and that she's a "friend just waiting to happen." So when she meets adults who are working to make the world easier to navigate for disabled people, she's inspired to fight alongside them in protests and other activism. Jennifer participates in the Capitol Crawl, in which she and other disabled adults haul themselves up the steps to Congress and make it ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP. And lawmakers finally pass the Americans with Disabilities Act. Context is provided in a foreword by Jennifer and information-packed end pages.
Is It Any Good?
This compelling story about a confident young girl who helped change the world is a wonderful introduction to an important, often overlooked part of American history. The strength of All the Way to the Top is in seeing a child resist the unfair limitations in her environment based on her conviction that she was not a problem, but a force for positive change. Young readers will find her a compelling character, and the helpful back matter can spark wonderful family conversations about history, inclusion, and the power of kid's voices.
Nabi H. Ali's digital illustrations, saturated in jewel tones, beautifully support the text and portray inspiring protest scenes and Jennifer's fierce determination. Given the educational information that introduces and follows the end of the story, this book is great for both educational and home settings.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the work of organizing and activism shown in All the Way to the Top. What inspired Jennifer to become a leader?
What character strengths does Jennifer show? How do teamwork and perseverance play a role?
What is an injustice (something unfair) you know about and want to try to change?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Nabi H. Ali
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Activism , History
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Sourcebooks Exlpore
- Publication date : March 10, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 5 - 8
- Number of pages : 32
- Available on : Hardback, Kindle
- Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate