Yes I Can!

This is a book about a little disabled girl named Carolyn. She is unable to do many things that other kids her age can do. She still manages to participate in activities but does so in her own way. You see, Carolyn is bound to a wheelchair because her legs don't work, but that does not hold this spirited little girl back from engaging enthusiastically in life. No way!

With the strong support of her loving family and friends who encourage her and lift her up she is not afraid to do what other kids her age participate in. She daily goes to school, goes on a school trip with the aid of a special bus, helps her mom around the house with household chores and looking after her baby brother, and even goes bowling. What a girl!

The book also touches on the fact that sometimes Carolyn feels downhearted because she sometimes views her life through her disability lens - but true to her nature she re-routes those negative thoughts into positive ones and chants.... YES I CAN! She is a fighter and a brave little girl that faces her challenges head on and overcomes them despite her disability.

At the end of the book is featured a section entitled "Note to Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers". It offers helpful information explaining disabilities and how those restricted to a wheelchair accomplish their day. It also encourages kids who may be reluctant to interact with a child with a disablement to smile at them, say hello and to treat them with kindness.

The illustrations are bright, animated and full of emotion. This would be a wonderful addition to a classroom and also an elementary school library.

Thank you to NetGallley for providing me with a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It is really nice to see a book about someone in a wheelchair because there are not many books for young children that have a main character with disabilities. There isn’t a lot of storyline but the book goes through everyday activities that the main character Carolyn can take part in and some she can’t. It shows the real emotions of being frustrated but also making the most of what she can do.

The back of the book has a notes to parents, caregivers and teachers section that gives some common questions children ask and answers to the questions which is a nice touch.

Yes I Can! is about a young girl starting school who is just like other children – except that she’s in a wheelchair. The title phrase “yes I can” provides a recurring refrain throughout the book that endears us to the main character, Carolyn, while giving the book an uplifting sense of positivity.

Although there is not much storyline, the book holds the reader’s interest by showing all kinds of everyday activities that Carolyn can take part in (baking cookies, playing ball games, riding the bus…) as well as some that she can’t (such as bouncing on a trampoline with her friends). Carolyn is portrayed as very normal and human, sometimes getting frustrated about the things that she can’t do, but making the most of the things she can.

While the book has clearly been written as an educational resource, it’s a fun, uplifting and heart-warming story that children will enjoy because of the many familiar themes and settings such as friendship, family, school and birthday parties. It would undoubtedly help children who have little experience with wheelchair users to understand and feel more comfortable around disabled peers.

The illustrations are bright, colourful and expressive, complementing the text nicely.

Back matter consists of a helpful “Notes to Parents, Caregivers and Teachers” section, including common questions that children ask about people with disabilities and answers to these questions.

My daughter is a girl in a wheelchair, so a book touting the abilities of a girl and her wheelchair certainly caught my eye! Yes I Can! A Girl and Her Wheelchair follows Carolyn through her day. She uses a wheelchair, but she can participate in everything. At home, at school, on the playground, at her friend's party, Carolyn gets around and interacts with her world . Written by a physical therapist and two clinical psychologists, Yes I Can! promotes awareness, inclusion, and kindness.



Of these themes, inclusion comes across most strongly. The story demonstrates how Carolyn can fully participate in classroom activities and social events. The nature of her participation may be different--for instance, she can't run in the footrace, but she can referee--but she is present and engaged. As she participates, the other children become accustomed to seeing her around class and are not surprised by her, for instance, scooting across the floor for story time.



Yes I Can! is perfect for both typical children and for those who live with disabilities. The authors reinforce the message that different is not better or worse--it's just different. I know that in my daughter's case, her being included in mainstream classes has been an enrichment for both her and her typical peers. Like Carolyn, her friends don't see her wheelchair as something weird or scary, but as normal. Yes I Can! teaches and reinforces that message.





Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

Yes I can! is a great book for everyone. My daughter really connected with this book, one of her best friends has spina bifida. It is a great reminder that just because your "different" in someone elses eyes doesn't mean you cant do the same things.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Yes I Can!
A Girl and Her Wheelchair
by Kendra J. Barrett; Jacqueline B. Toner; Claire A. B. Freeland
American Psychological Association

Magination Press
Children's Fiction
Pub Date 20 Nov 2018


I am reviewing a copy of Yes I Can through Magination Press and Netgalley:


This would be a great tool to teach young readers to embrace physical differences and not to judge by what someone is unable to do! She helps her Mom and Dad and even her baby brother.



Carolyn is like most kids her age. She loves animals, castles, and making things with building blocks.



When Carolyn was born her body did not work the way most people’s did. Her legs don't work so she uses a wheelchair but she can do almost everything the other kids at school did, sometimes she has to do them a little differently but she does them.


I give Yes I Can five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I love this book! Carolyn has a wonderful attitude about using a wheelchair and shows her classmates that she can do most things they can only in her wheelchair. It is important for people, children included to understand that a person in a wheelchair is still a person with feelings. Her classmates help her feel included in their activities even though there are some things she can't do. The most important thing about this book is at the end there is a question answer section for adults to talk to children about disabilities. Children naturally have questions about things that are different from them and this addresses some of those questions. This is a great book to share with a class regardless if there is a classmate in a wheelchair. Children will encounter others with disabilities in life and this will better prepare them for interacting with them.

When Carolyn was born, she could not use her legs like most and needed a wheelchair, but that doesn’t stop her from doing everything everyone else can do, sometimes in her own way. The book shows children how a child with a disability goes to school, participates in activities, rides on a bus, goes on field trips, helps around the house, and even goes bowling. The book also does a good job of showing how a child with a disability can easily feel left out without others not realizing it and how it is important for everyone to feel included in some way. The back of the book has a section for teachers to help with classroom discussions such as : What is a disability? How do they eat? Go to the bathroom? Play? Very good book for the classroom and an important book to have in each library.

This is a really cute illustrated book about inclusion. It would be an excellent resource for teaching children what it means to have a disability and about the all the things a child with a disability can still do.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Carolyn is strong-willed and happy. Her teachers and classmates do their best to include her in most activities, and she is always up for the challenge, saying "Yes I Can!" A sweet glimpse into what it might be like for a child like her, this is a perfect way to jump start a conversation about what makes us all different and alike, and celebrating all of it.

Good book to help start the conversation with kids about disability and that there are different kinds of people in the world. Wonderful illustrations and story. Entertaining characters.

This is a great book about the daily life of Carolyn, a girl in a wheelchair. Days after days, she introduces us to all the things that she can do at school and at home. Sometimes, she can't do what her friends are doing, like playing on the trampoline or racing, but thanks to her friends, there is always something fun to do instead, like playing with the babies or being the referee. At the end of the book, there is a list of common questions that kids might ask about someone in a wheelchair. The answers are clear and accessible to children.

My only negative point is about page 20, with the very confusing introduction of new friends: "Jasmine's aunt walks with Jasmine's little cousin, Tina. Tina is about the same age as Carolyn's brother." I didn't understand the necessity of this long explanation, as those characters are never mentioned again.

The illustrations are pleasant, and I wish the cover could have been as good as the illustrations inside.

I highly recommend this book.

Carolyn starts a new school. Carolyn is in a wheelchair. At first, the other students find it strange and stare. Carolyn shows the others how she can do many of the things they do, just in a different way.

This is an excellent way to show your child that those people in a wheelchair or with another disability are just like them. They can do many of the same things. They just need to do them in a different way.

I love this book. It has interesting dialogue and easy to understand examples of how Carolyn can do the same things as they do. The illustrations were cute and bright. They showed Carolyn’s disability in a light, fun way rather than convey it as a problem.

It also contains a segment for parents and caregivers on how to address the issue of disabilities with your children.

I received an eBook ARC from NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book.