GENRE: *Diverse, STEM/STEAM, SEL
WORDS: 350
Query:
Greetings!
ALONG FOR THE RIDE is a high-energy, 350-word picture book manuscript based on my lived experiences negotiating life with a mobility impairment, advocating for myself and enlisting help to find creative solutions to ongoing challenges.
An adventure-loving eight-year-old with a mobility impairment feels stuck when she can’t access all the places she wants to go. An idea sparks, then ignites, propelling her on a journey to find an innovative solution to address this challenge. Will her new creation be enough to transport her ALONG FOR THE RIDE?
Like We Move Together (Fritsch, McGuire and Trejos, 2021), ALONG FOR THE RIDE addresses body diversity and accessibility as well as highlighting themes of the power of community and creative problem solving. Offering insights into ongoing challenges of living with a disability, this manuscript echoes sentiments of Outside Amelia’s Window (Nastro and Budisan, 2023). ALONG FOR THE RIDE includes SEL and STEM themes, a strong family bond, a model of determination and an Author’s Note about my personal journey.
Recently named a 2024 mentee by We Need Diverse Books, I am an active member of multiple critique groups, 12×12 and SCBWI-NM where I serve as Critique Group Coordinator and facilitator of the Third Saturday Critique Group. I enjoy participating in online writing course work and contests. I have a background in education, teaching grades K-8 and serving in leadership roles for 30 years. Currently, in addition to working to hone my writing craft, I continue to tutor and consult about literacy instruction.
Excerpt:
Smiling and squealing, giggling and wiggling, I was a shoulder-riding, back-bouncing baby, along for the ride. [with parents]
Too big for that now, I still love adventure. And, usually, it’s easy. [wheelchair for mobility impairment on paved trail, sidewalk]
But sometimes I can’t get where I want to go. I’m stuck–
in a rut,
in the mud,
blocked by rocks or
stopped by a steep, steep slope.What inspired you to write this story & what do you have in common with it:
I have a mobility impairment resulting from multiple sclerosis so I rely on a motorized scooter and a handicapped-accessible van. Like my main character, I was disappointed, frustrated and even exasperated when I found places my scooter couldn’t go. Steep hills, rocky trails or too much snow were impossible for me to maneuver. But now, when I want to spend time off-road in the high desert hills or in the mountains, I ride a DIY design/build electric bike equipped with four knobby tires. My journey has connected me with a community of individuals of all ages sharing similar challenges.
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