All the Way to the Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything

Parents need to know that All the Way to the Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything, by Annette Bay Pimentel and illustrated by Nabi H. Ali, tells the true story of Jennifer, a self-assured young activist with cerebral palsy who helped lead the "Capitol Crawl." That's when activists left their wheelchairs and crawled up the steps of Congress (which had no ramp). This action led to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (known as the ADA). Young readers will learn about the long work of activism and the ADA, while being inspired by Jennifer's example that kids can make a difference in their world. Jennifer and her family appear to be White, while background characters are diverse in skin color, gender, and physical ability. Young or sensitive kids might feel upset about the unfair, and sometimes mean, treatment Jennifer receives, though there's no physical violence in the story. While the foreword by the now-adult Jennifer and back matter provide historical background seem geared to older readers, the story in this picture book biography is simple enough for little ones. All the Way to the Top is a comprehensive introduction to an important part of American history for young readers.