Author & Illustrators
‘Mama Car’ is a beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written story. This story is perfect for children of all ages and helps represent families with members with disabilities. The story follows the Mama Car, detailing the fun had around the house and the park. This book would be perfect to read in KS1 or KS2 to help children see wheelchair users positively represented in a story. It was great to see a ‘Dear Adults,’ message at the back and get to hear from Lucy, the author, who puts it brilliantly about how wheelchairs can provoke strong feelings, not all of them positive and how important it is for children to see how the child in the story plays with the wheelchair, is comforted and is so used to being around it they call it Mama Car.
Joe is widely admired for his presence, whether he’s playing on the playground or enjoying a treat – after all, he’s SO AMAZING! Despite his admiration for his athletic friend Simone, Joe constantly receives compliments from onlookers. Wanting to shift the focus to Simone, Joe attempts to blend into the background, only to be mistaken for feeling sorry for himself.
Reluctantly, Joe participates in activities, feeling the pressure to maintain his “Amazing Joe” persona, a struggle that resonates with disabled individuals. As playground visitors gawk and point at his physical disability, Joe becomes exhausted with the attention. Seeking solace, he engages in soccer with a friend and discovers the joy of accomplishment through perseverance.
In this picturebook, the authors skilfully portray strangers’ well-intentioned yet patronizing behaviour through vivid illustrations. The narrative paints a picture of the importance of supportive friendships rather than offering direct strategies for handling uncomfortable interactions. Illustrated with diversity in the character portrayal, the story offers a glimpse into the disability experience.
review
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Any other comments
Any other comments