Air

by Monica Roe (Author)

Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade

An action-packed, empowering middle grade novel about a girl who has to speak up when her wheelchair motocross dreams get turned upside down.

Twelve-year-old Emmie is working to raise money for a tricked-out wheelchair to get serious about WCMX, when a mishap on a poorly designed ramp at school throws her plans into a tailspin. Instead of replacing the ramp, her school provides her with a kind but unwelcome aide--and, seeing a golden media opportunity, launches a public fundraiser for her new wheels. Emmie loves her close-knit rural town, but she can't shake the feeling that her goals--and her choices--suddenly aren't hers anymore. With the help of her best friends, Emmie makes a plan to get her dreams off the ground--and show her community what she wants, what she has to give, and how ready she is to do it on her own terms.

Air is a smart, energetic middle grade debut from Monica Roe about thinking big, working hard, and taking flight.

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$8.99

Kirkus

A fun, fierce heroine fights architectural ableism with the powers of friendship and capitalism.

Review quotes

"Emmie Ethrige is a daredevil who lives life FAST. She is gutsy and kind, fun-loving and flawed—exactly the sort of character readers will relate to and root for . . . A fantastic, bright, and important read." —Kate Beasley, author of Lions & Liars and Gertie's Leap to Greatness

 

"Air is fantastic, fierce, and too much fun. Please read it immediately." —William Alexander, National Book Award-winning author of Goblin Secrets

 

"Air is the high-energy tale of a wheelchair athlete determined to get the equipment she needs to have fun and go far. After Emmie bumps up against others seeking to 'help' by pushing her in their direction, she learns to resist creatively. Her quest will engage readers from start to finish as they see how one girl forges her own path with the real help of loyal friends in their small town." —Lyn Miller-Lachmann, author of She Persisted: Temple Grandin & co-author of Moonwalking

 

Monica Roe
Monica Roe is the author of Air, as well as Thaw, a Cybils Young Adult Fiction Finalist, and the short story "The Unhealthy Breakfast Club" in the anthology Rural Voices. She is a pediatric physical therapy provider for several remote Alaskan communities and a researcher/advocate for the social model of disability and inclusive rural health. Monica studies public health at the University of Alaska, focusing on disability-inclusive disaster preparedness. She and her family divide their time between Alaska and their apiary in rural South Carolina. For more about Monica's research, Alaska, beekeeping, or other published works, pay her a visit at her website.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781250798268
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr)
Publication date
January 10, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
JUV039150 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Special Needs
JUV032100 - Juvenile Fiction | Sports & Recreation | Extreme Sports
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
South Carolina
Fathers and daughters
Schools
Children with disabilities
People with disabilities
Middle schools
Self-reliance
Best friends
Abnormalities
Wheelchairs
Motocross
Wheelchair sports
Spine

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