We Are the Scrappy Ones
Written by Rebekah Taussig | Illustrated by Kirbi Fagan
Reading age: For age 5-9
Interest Level: Kindergarden - Grade 2nd
Publisher: Lerner April 2025
ISBN13: 978-1728487700
We are the scrappy ones. / We live, we adapt, we defy. / Made of stardust and grit, we are spectacular.
Children with disabilities experience the world in all kinds of ways. Yet one thing they share is navigating a world that doesn’t always make space for them as they are. Existing on the edges can feel unfair―and downright exhausting. And at the exact same time, it can also foster creativity, resourcefulness, and adaptability. In a word, scrappiness.Author and disability advocate Rebekah Taussig has written a groundbreaking anthem of belonging that celebrates the wide range of disabled children and affirms their worth, just as they are. Luminous illustrations by Kirbi Fagan portray a diverse cast of characters living, learning, and playing. A warm, joy-filled book for disabled and non-disabled readers alike.
Resources & Interview Links
Podcast: Two Grown Up Sick Kids Talk Creativity, Boundaries, Language, and Binaries
We Are the Scrappy Ones: An Interview with Illustrator Kirbi Fagan
Kirkus Best Picture Books of the Year
Most Empowering Picture Books of 2025
Starred Review Kirkus Reviews
Reviewed on 13 January 2025
“In Fagan’s luminous, star-spangled scenes, people using wheelchairs, white canes, communication devices, and more radiate joy and community, countering assumptions about disabled people (such as “loss leaves no space for laughter”) and reminding readers that they’re “as dazzling as a sky full of stars”. . . Warm, poetic, and affirming."—starred, Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
Reviewed on 15 December 2024
“Disability advocate Taussig (Sitting Pretty) directly addresses children with disabilities in this beautiful affirmation of belonging, imagination, and self-worth . . . A meaningful work for children with disabilities and those who interact with them, this is a purchase for all collections.”—School Library Journal
