We Are the Scrappy Ones
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.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
|---|---|---|
|
978-1-7284-8770-0
On pre-order until 04/01/2025
|
$14.99 | |
|
979-8-7656-5094-3
On pre-order until 04/01/2025
|
$24.99 |
| Interest Level | Kindergarten - Grade 3 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 2 |
| Genre | Picture Books |
| Category | Diverse Books: Physical Disability & Illness, Diversity, SEL: A Self-Awareness, SEL: B Self-Management, SEL: C Social Awareness, Social Emotional Learning |
| Copyright | 2025 |
| Publisher | Lerner Publishing Group |
| Imprint | Carolrhoda Books ® |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 32 |
| Publication Date | 2025-04-01 |
Author: Rebekah Taussig
Rebekah Taussig has a PhD in creative nonfiction and disability studies from the University of Kansas and she writes personal stories about disability. Her memoir in essays Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body was published by Harper One in 2021. She lives in Kansas City with her husband and young son.
Illustrator: Kirbi Fagan
Kirbi Fagan is a Michigan New York Best Selling illustrator. Her work includes the picture book The Summer of the Tree Army by Gloria Whelan (2021), We Are the Scrappy Ones (2025), as well as cover art in adult, YA, middle-grade, and comic books. Kirbi is driven to create books for readers like her. When she was growing up, arts and crafts were her lifeline as a way to cope with ongoing illness. Kirbi is traditionally trained as an oil painter, earning her bachelor’s degree in Illustration from Kendall College of Art and Design.
Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
“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
“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
James Catchpole
“Rebekah’s poem about growing up disabled is insightful, heartfelt, and true. It makes complex ideas simple to understand, and simple ideas feel fresh and new. Kirbi’s warm artwork will draw in young readers while Rebekah’s words settle in their minds. This is a book to read and reread, a book to grow up with.”—James Catchpole, author of What Happened to You?, Schneider Family Book Award Honor, and Lucy Catchpole, author of Mama Car
Kao Kalia Yang
“We Are the Scrappy Ones is a tribute to a community often marginalized, whose truths embody the best of what humans are to each other. This book is necessary and powerful.” —Kao Kalia Yang, author of The Rock in My Throat
Shane Burcaw
“We Are the Scrappy Ones is a remarkably beautiful, soul-lifting, groundbreaking story. For our world and the future of our vibrant disabled community, I’m overjoyed this book exists.”—Shane Burcaw, author of the award-winning books Not So Different: What You Really Want to Ask About Having a Disability and Laughing at My Nightmare