Reviewed by Vala Chu McAllister, with Josie Chu McAllister
The Scooter Twins follows the journey of twins seeking mobility through finding the ideal scooter. Their gentle patience and bright hopes carry them through the ups and downs of their search, sad at times and exciting at others. The illustrations transport us into a companionable world where perseverance and mutual aid eventually enable the children to explore their surroundings as freely as possible.
While those of us who are able-bodied may be tempted to think of those with mobility challenges as “other people,” in reality it’s easy to get stopped in our tracks by an accident or injury. This book came to life when a family member dislocated a knee and suddenly, a lighthearted ski vacation became a challenging obstacle course through cobblestone streets and down scary steps with crutches. How do we understand and perceive the world through empathy with other people’s experiences? This book shows the way: through the “eyes” of children we can “see” how much we who are able-bodied might take for granted and how much joy we can all share when we all enjoy our world together and ensure that everyone has equal access.
While at times bittersweet, The Scooter Twins encourages readers to “look” beyond our current world into one in which all people may freely access all resources. Overcoming barriers takes teamwork, a work in which the author and illustrator invite us to join and celebrate as, ultimately, life’s greatest purpose comes from helping and supporting each other!
Title: The Scooter Twins
Author / Illustrator: Written by Dorothy Ellen Palmer and illustrated by Maria Sweeney
Publisher: Groundwood Books Ltd
Year: 2024
Editor’s Note: From the publisher’s website: “Written by disability advocate and mobility scooter user Dorothy Ellen Palmer, and illustrated by Maria Sweeney, The Scooter Twins is an #ownvoices story that shares the joys and challenges of disabled childhood, and offers many kids who get new wheels the opportunity to find themselves in the pages of a book.”
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About the Reviewers
Vala is an 11-year-old who lives in Ithaca, NY. She loves her 13-year-old big sister Aelwen who has Down syndrome and Type I Diabetes. Aelwen spends most of her time studying for school (even in the summertime) and also loves designing beautiful homes for herself and her Barbies. Vala knows how wonderful and amazing Aelwen is, and her greatest wish is that others would see her the way Vala does. Vala’s poetry has been published in Wordgathering.
Josie Chu McAllister is a Dermatologist in Ithaca, NY. She is the proud mom of two girls: Vala, age 11, and Aelwen, age 13. It’s been a quite a journey since Aelwen’s diagnosis of Down syndrome at birth, and Type I Diabetes at age 2, and Dr. McAllister and her family are thankful for the support of so many kind and talented people whom they never would have otherwise met. She and her family love exploring the world together and bringing the best ideas back to share!