We Are the Scrappy Ones

We Are the Scrappy OnesWe are the scrappy ones. We live, we adapt, we defy. Made of stardust and grit, we are spectacular. Children with disabilities experience the world in all kinds of ways. Yet one thing they share is navigating a world that doesn't always make space for them as they are. Existing on the edges can feel unfair and downright exhausting. And at the exact same time, it can also foster creativity, resourcefulness, and adaptability. In a word, scrappiness.

We are the scrappy ones. / We live, we adapt, we defy. / Made of stardust and grit, we are spectacular.

Children with disabilities experience the world in all kinds of ways. Yet one thing they share is navigating a world that doesn't always make space for them as they are. Existing on the edges can feel unfair--and downright exhausting. And at the exact same time, it can also foster creativity, resourcefulness, and adaptability. In a word, scrappiness.

Author and disability advocate Rebekah Taussig has written a groundbreaking anthem of belonging that celebrates the wide range of disabled children and affirms their worth, just as they are. Luminous illustrations by Kirbi Fagan portray a diverse cast of characters living, learning, and playing. A warm, joy-filled book for disabled and non-disabled readers alike.

Author: Rebekah Taussig
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books (R)
Published: 04/01/2025
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 10.00h x 9.90w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781728487700
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 3.7
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 554045 / We Are the Scrappy Ones


Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 12/13/2024 pg. 1
Kirkus Reviews 02/15/2025

About the Author
Taussig, Rebekah: - Rebekah Taussig has a PhD in creative nonfiction and disability studies from the University of Kansas and she writes personal stories about disability. Her memoir in essays Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body was published by Harper One in 2021. She lives in Kansas City with her husband and young son.Fagan, Kirbi: - Kirbi Fagan is a Michigan New York Best Selling illustrator. Her work includes the picture book The Summer of the Tree Army by Gloria Whelan (2021), We Are the Scrappy Ones (2025), as well as cover art in adult, YA, middle-grade, and comic books. Kirbi is driven to create books for readers like her. When she was growing up, arts and crafts were her lifeline as a way to cope with ongoing illness. Kirbi is traditionally trained as an oil painter, earning her bachelor's degree in Illustration from Kendall College of Art and Design.