Description
All the Way to the Top is a picture book (with an accompanying video and learning guide) that tells the true story of Jennifer Keelan, who participated in the Capital Crawl to support the passage of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). The story addresses physical barriers, self-advocacy, and history of disability activism.
Recommendations
The strengths of this resource are:
- relevance to young audiences because of its focus on a child’s story
- uses plain language
- offers an example of youth self-advocacy
- includes clear facilitation instructions (including an answer key) in the learning guide
Users should note that:
- this resource may put youth with disabilities “on the spot” in mixed-ability groups, by drawing attention to disability
- has less emphasis on youth peer advocacy
We think these things could help with the concerns:
- a content warning at the beginning so people can expect discussions of ableism
- captions/image descriptions to make visuals more accessible
- additional activities that are lighter on discussion
- additional context on the history of ADA organizing that includes more cultures and organizations
- companion resources that define terms, address additional types of disability, and discuss advocacy
At a Glance
Format
- Picture book
- Learning guide with additional resources, information, and activities
Audience
- Grades 1-5
Facilitation
- Book can be read independently
- Learning guide can be facilitated by an instructor
Last Updated
2020
Source(s)
- Annette Bay Pimentel
