‘We Move Together’ Depicts Positive Disability Identity in a Colorful and Inclusive Way

The other day, I was scrolling through social media and came upon a post about a new children's book called We Move Together by authors Kelly Fritsch, Anne McGuire, and Eduardo Trejos. The 40-page hardcover illustrated picture book is full of themes of inclusion, tolerance, and celebration of diversity. I proudly purchased a copy. I think it should be on every children's literature bookshelf in homes and libraries everywhere.

I think the book's purpose is best encapsulated in its stated preface, which reads:

All bodies are unique and essential. All bodies are whole. All bodies have strengths and needs that must be met. We are powerful not despite the complexities of our bodies, but because of them. We move together, with nobody left behind. This is disability justice.
— Aurora Levins Morales and Patty Berne.

Now, you might be thinking that the idea of disability justice might be challenging for a young child to comprehend. And in some ways, you might be right. I wouldn't think a five-year-old would be able to parse and expand upon the nuances of cultural integration of disabled people and aspects that include equality, inclusion, and justice. On the other hand, I think children, even young children, are far more perceptive and capable of understanding these ideas than adults give them credit.

In We Move Together, where the words might get lost, the images certainly do not. The turn of every page shows beautiful illustrations of children of all different ethnicities and abilities doing activities together. For example, on the opening spread, a group of children goes down a path with the words, "we move fast." One child is in a wheelchair, one child is on a bicycle, one child is running while kicking a soccer ball, and in the distance, a child is walking with crutches, waving as if to say, "Hey, wait for me."

Turn the page, and the next spread reads, "we move slow," and all the same children are relaxing, sitting and laying down underneath a large shady tree. It is meant to show how all the children waited for the young boy on crutches to join them, and now they are doing an activity that includes him. And they are still all having fun and happy.

These themes of equal inclusion and participation need to be reinforced to children more often than they are. Particularly where disability is concerned. Disability and children can be hard to tackle, specifically because children have natural curiosities about people who look or act "different" from themselves. And when society at large, i.e., adults, don't challenge those perceptions, or even worse, perpetuate them, children grow up thinking disability is NOT normal. And if progress can't be made on even this first fundamental problem, how will we ever achieve true justice?

The short answer is, we aren't.

I think about the important learning moments for a disabled child who reads this book. Let's face it: it's hard to be a kid sometimes, disabled or not. The peer pressure to belong and fit in can be intense. Disabled children can often become the easy target for teasing or cyber-bullying. Often, a disabled child's differences can be internalized, profoundly affecting their self-esteem and self-worth, which can last many years into their adult life. It can affect their ability to achieve in school, at work, and in relationships. Being able to flip through pages of kids who look and move like themselves while having fun, playing, and being included in activities is a significant opportunity to reinforce positive disability identity and build self-esteem.

And the book doesn't just show a child in a wheelchair; it shows a child in a wheelchair who also has a tracheotomy. It shows scooters, and walking crutches, and canes, and different types of visual and hearing impairments. It also includes children with different cognitive abilities. It is really one of the most inclusive pieces of disability art I have seen in a long time, if ever— children's book or not. Showing various children, with all different abilities, all just being kids together, makes a statement that different is not less than. Different is just different. AND that differences can— and I believe should— be celebrated.

Some of the reviews that appear with the book on it’s Amazon.com listing include:

— This book is really wonderful, especially if there are any disabled and neurodivergent people in your life or if it's simply important to you to have inclusive books in your children's library with great, accurate, and realistic representation of the kinds of kids they will see at school and in life. I've already sincerely recommended the book to all of my friends. My kids are 11, 5, 3, and 1.

— This book is as gorgeous as it is moving, as wise as it is joyful, and as essential for adults as it is for kids. Boy multiples - one for your own family, one for a friend and one for a school. Eternally grateful that this book is now in the world. Thank you to all who collaborated towards its amazing offering.

— I was very moved by this beautiful book. The illustrations present intersectional representation in such a powerful and joyful manner. It deals with some very complex ideas in ways that are accessible to young readers and engages them in meaningful conversations. I am so impressed with all the ways "We Move Together" celebrates disability and inclusion!

Publishers description: A bold and colorful exploration of all the ways that people navigate through the spaces around them and a celebration of the relationships we build along the way. We Move Together follows a mixed-ability group of kids as they creatively negotiate everyday barriers and find joy and connection in disability culture and community. A perfect tool for families, schools, and libraries to facilitate conversations about disability, accessibility, social justice, and community building. Includes a kid-friendly glossary (for ages 3–10). This fully accessible ebook includes alt-text for image descriptions, a read-aloud function, and a zoom-in function that allows readers to magnify the illustrations and be able to move around the page in zoom-in mode.

Link to purchase: https://amzn.to/3hI3arp

Note: This is not a sponsored post or affiliate link. I'm just sharing about this awesome book because I love it and I want everyone to buy it!