All the Way to the Top

This book, for me, is important as the first trade nonfiction picture book about the fight for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I hope and assume more books on this topic are in the pipeline, as there is so much more to share with kids about this crucial social justice movement! Jennifer Keenan’s story is great for kids because she was a kid herself when she crawled up the U.S. Capitol steps to fight for disability rights. This book offers an inspiring, personal entryway into the disability rights movement and the importance of having laws and systems to back… show more.

This middle-grade biography shows the grit, passion, and determination of lifelong activist Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins and her participation in the Capitol Crawl even when others tried to stop her…even if it meant crawling all the way up the Capitol steps without her wheelchair. Jennifer fought to make real the Americans with Disabilities Act, a law to make public places – schools, libraries, universities, airports – accessible to all. Jennifer went to the steps of the Capitol building in Washington DC to convince Congress to pass this law. All the Way to the Top includes Jennifer’s foreword, illustrations throughout the book, and… show more.